The 49ers got off on the right foot on Friday night with a season-opening win—tonight they hope to keep the momentum going against Loyola Marymount, as they try to break a nine-game losing streak against the Lions after tipoff at 7pm in the Pyramid.

Loyola had the opposite of the 49ers’ opening, in a twenty-point loss to SMU on Friday night that likely has the Lions stinging.  After a slow start in Texas (where they shot just 34%), the Lions and their tall backcourt (three guards who get starters’ minutes over 5-10) will be trying to rebound against a 49ers team desperate to get another win in the Pyramid before they hit the road for four games (their next home game is December 3rd against USC).

For more info, see the official university release below:

The Long Beach State women’s basketball team is looking for its first victory against Loyola Marymount since 1996 as it plays host to the Lions on Monday, Nov. 16. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. (PST) at the Walter Pyramid.

THE RECORDS

The 49ers are coming off their first season-opening victory since the 2004-05 campaign as they defeated Prairie View A&M, 76-68, on Friday (Nov. 13). The Lions, meanwhile, suffered a 78-58 defeat at SMU in their opener.

SCOUTING LOYOLA MARYMOUNT

Loyola Marymount was picked to finish second in the West Coast Conference preseason poll. Both Renahy Young (14.8 ppg) and Alex Cowling (13.4 ppg) were named to the preseason all-conference team as the duo led the Lions in scoring last year. Cowling was also the team’s top rebounder with 6.2 boards per game.

THE SERIES

Long Beach State is looking for its first victory against Loyola Marymount since 1996 as the Lions lead the all-time series, 9-3. LMU has claimed the last nine meetings, including an 83-63 triumph on Nov. 24, 2008, in Los Angeles. Two of the 49ers’ wins have come at home.

FOR OPENERS

Long Beach State improved to 28-19 in season openers as the 49ers picked up their first season-opening victory since 2004-05 with their win over Prairie View A&M. This was the second year in a row that LBSU kicked off the campaign in the friendly confines of the Walter Pyramid. The Beach is now 19-6 when opening the season at home.

FIGUEROA JOINS 1,000-POINT CLUB

It didn’t take long for senior Karina Figueroa to find herself among the 49er elite as she surpassed 1,000 career points in her first game back after redshirting the 2008-09 campaign. Figueroa, who needed 16 points to hit the milestone, led The Beach with a team-high 23 points in a season-opening victory against Prairie View A&M. Figueroa became the program’s 21st 1,000-point scorer as she now has 1,007 points in her three-plus year career.

49ERS PICKED TO FINISH FIFTH IN BWC

Long Beach State was picked to finish fifth in the 2009-10 Big West Conference preseason poll as voted on by the media. The 49ers received 99 points, finishing ahead of Pacific (87), Cal State Fullerton (59), Cal State Northridge (41) and UC Irvine (39).

Two-time defending Big West champion UC Santa Barbara was tabbed as the preseason favorite with 10 first-place votes and 162 total points. The Gauchos were followed by UC Davis (155), Cal Poly (146) and UC Riverside (112), all of whom received at least one first-place nod.

FIELDS AND FIGUEROA NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

The media also voted on a six-player preseason All-Big West team that included 49er seniors Whitney Fields and Karina Figueroa. Fields picked up second-team honors last year after leading the league in rebounding (8.7 rpg). She was also LBSU’s top scorer, averaging 12.6 points per outing.

Figueroa, a three-time All-Big West selection, redshirted the 2008-09 campaign. She currently ranks among the Long Beach State career leaders in free throw percentage (.787), 3-point field goals made (72) and 3-point field goals attempted (223), and she is just 16 points away from becoming the program’s 21st 1,000-point scorer.

RECORD WATCH

Figueroa ranks among the 49er all-time career leaders in four statistical categories. She is currently tied for second on the charts in free throw percentage (.794), eighth in 3-point field goals attempted (224), and 10th in 3-point field goals made (72) and 3-point field goal percentage (.321). Figueroa is also on the verge of breaking into the top 10 in scoring average with 13.6 points per game.

Senior Lauren Sims, meanwhile, ranks third in 3-point field goals made (104), sixth in 3-point field goals attempted (280) and is tied for fourth in 3-point FG percentage (.371). Classmate Ally Wade also ranks among the leaders in 3-point FGs made (9th, 74) and attempted (5th, 283).

UP NEXT

Long Beach State embarks on a four-game road trip next week, beginning with contests at New Mexico State (Nov. 20) and Texas-Pan American (Nov. 22).