Long Beach State entered the 2024 Big West Conference men’s tournament a bit adrift. The once-proud Beach finished the regular season 17–14; the 49ers had lost five consecutive games, and an early victory over Michigan had proven misleading.
The school responded by parting ways with coach Dan Monson—a veteran of the coaching ranks who helped mold Gonzaga into a proto-national power in the late 1990s. He would be allowed to coach his team in the conference tournament but would not return next season.
How did Monson respond? By leading Long Beach State to the NCAA tournament.
On Saturday, the Beach edged UC Davis 74–70 in the Big West tournament title game in Henderson, Nev., to complete an improbable conference tournament run in a year chock-full of them.
Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
To make the moment even more special, Monson’s 90-year-old father Don—a decorated former coach of Idaho and Oregon—was in attendance.
Dan Monson discussed what the moment meant to him after the game.
Long Beach State’s Dan Monson, who was fired last week but was allowed to coach in the conference tournament, just led the 49ers to the Big West title, upending the top two seeds en route.
— Made For March (@madeformarch) March 17, 2024
First NCAAT appearance for the Beach since 2012.
College basketball, folks. pic.twitter.com/UgMADuCHsM
On Sunday, Monson and Long Beach State will hear their names called for the Big Dance for the first time since 2012.
What a week.
