The toughness of the Long Beach State men’s basketball team’s schedule is one of the most discussed topics surrounding the team.
The 49ers are 6-0 at home with wins over perennial NCAA Tournament Kansas State and a pair of conference opponents in Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara. Their defensive numbers have improved significantly in the Walter Pyramid, giving up 14 points less per game compared to overall.
Their average win margin is over 13 points, but head coach Dan Monson doesn’t place much stock in the team’s home record. He said you have to take into account the low number of games and the fact they haven’t played as good a schedule at home.
“That’s part of it,” Monson said. “70 percent of all college basketball games are won by the home team. You defend your home turf and that’s something you have to be proud of. Hopefully we can continue to do that.”
The team’s struggles on the road and in neutral sites have overshadowed its excellent home performances.
Historically, the 49ers have had great success in the Pyramid. Their home record for the last over the last five years is 51-12, including a perfect 12-0 in the 2011-12 season.
Monson’s players agreed that it is important to take advantage of the home games that the team does get to play. Sophomore guard Travis Hammonds credited the fans for their support for the team’s success at home. He did lament the fact last year the team let a few games slip that they should have won.
“Last year we broke the winning the streak we had here,” Hammonds said. “With Irvine coming in and beating us the first conference game, then losing against Santa Barbara. This is all about restoring order. That’s what we’ve tried to focus on this year.”
Some of the main beneficiaries of home games are role players, or players who come off the bench and feel more comfortable at home. Senior guard McKay LaSalle noted how playing on the same court they practice on gives them an advantage.
“We’ve been on the road so much in December,” LaSalle said. “It’s kind of exciting to be home in front of our fans. We have that comfortability here. Sleeping in our own beds never hurts either.”
Monson reiterated the benefit of playing so many tough opponents and rad games overall. He said he thinks the team is getting more into a rhythm and guys like Hammonds and senior guard Tyler Lamb are starting to get on a roll in terms knowing what they need to do to win.
“Again, I think our November and December has helped us in January,” Monson said. “Those games are great if you win them, but they also can be great to play and get better in them. We learned a lot about ourselves in November and December playing that schedule that we play.”