We’re patient guys.
In fact, when we’re shopping at Target (for our separate houses, we really aren’t Bert and Ernie) we usually skip right past the panic button aisle.
Sports fans, however, are not patient. Sports fans not only keep a healthy stock of panic buttons, they even pay seasonal mark-up rates for them instead of getting them on clearance.
Plenty of Long Beach State basketball fans were mashing that big red button after the team’s 5-11 nonconference start. After all, the team didn’t play the usual gauntlet of power-5 conference programs that Dan Monson has often scheduled. They were 5-11 with a 19-point loss to Pacific and a 21-point home loss to Southern Utah.
Wednesday night’s Big West opener on the road against CSUN had plenty more Beach fans looking for their panic buttons as the team gave up 52 points in the first half and lost 95-77.
While it was obvious the team wasn’t going to cruise to the top of the Big West standings this season, the loss was a glass (bucket?) of cold water to the face. Long Beach had won seven of its 10 previous meetings with CSUN and the Matadors are certainly not a premier team in the league; they came into the game with an identical 5-11 nonconference record.
After the loss, fans took to Facebook to voice their displeasure. One fan was angry the university’s official press release only referred to the defeat as a mere “loss,” and not as an embarrassment. “They were blown out, and embarrassed, by an inferior program in a crappy high school gymnasium,” read one comment.
“The article should read ‘Beach can’t play defense,’” read another. “The announcers were even commenting over the lack of effort, heart, and lack of defense by Long Beach.”
It doesn’t get easier. The team will travel to Big West favorite UC Santa Barbara on Saturday for its second Big West game.
Long Beach State Women
It’s going to be interesting to see how the Long Beach State women open up Big West play this week, as they host Cal Poly tonight at 7 p.m. and then visit Cal State Fullerton on Saturday.
The Beach are just 5-8 coming into conference play, but it’s an unusually bad year for the Big West. Only one team is above .500 (8-5 Fullerton) and the Beach is actually tied for the third-best nonleague record headed into this week.
LBCC Hoops
The season is going well for the LBCC men’s basketball team, which is 11-4 and ranked No. 24 in the State. Jace Bass is averaging 31.2 points per game to lead the Vikings, who host LA Trade Tech on Friday night at 7 p.m.
The LBCC women are 8-7 overall and visit Mt. SAC on Friday.