LONG BEACH, Calif. — In an electrifying overtime battle, Jemel Jones delivered a clutch performance scoring 37 points, including a dramatic buzzer-beating jumper, to lift Cal State Bakersfield to a narrow 88-87 victory over Long Beach State on Thursday.
The decisive moment unfolded when Marvin McGhee IV’s shot attempt was swatted away by Derrick Michael Xzavierro. However, the ball glanced out of bounds off Long Beach State, allowing Cal State Bakersfield to maintain possession. With just 2.7 seconds left on the clock, Kadar Waller executed an inbound pass from the baseline to the right elbow, which Jones received, pivoted through two defenders, and fired in the game-winning shot.
Alongside his impressive scoring, Jones contributed five rebounds for the Roadrunners, who improved to 13-17 overall and 7-11 in the Big West Conference. Corey Stephenson provided essential support, tallying 15 points while hitting 4 of 14 shots, including a perfect 3 for 3 from behind the arc, along with a flawless 4 of 4 from the charity stripe. Waller also chipped in eight points, making both of his field goal attempts and converting 3 of his 6 free throws.
For Long Beach State, TJ Wainwright had a standout performance with 22 points. Devin Askew contributed 19 points, orchestrated eight assists, and managed two steals for the team. Additionally, Andrew Nagy recorded 14 points. Despite a valiant effort, the Beach succumbed to their 12th consecutive loss of the season, leaving them with a record of 7-22 overall and 3-14 in conference play.
Consequently, Long Beach State has been eliminated from qualifying for the Big West Tournament, set to commence on March 12 in Henderson, Nevada, as only the top eight teams will advance.
