SOUTH BEND – After fending off a pesky Saint Francis (Pa.) squad 95-72 Monday, the Notre Dame men’s basketball team barely caught its breath before thinking about today’s game.

The Irish (2-0) play host to Long Beach State at 7:30 p.m. in Purcell Pavilion.

“I’m glad we had some game pressure on us (Monday) and some tough things happen because of what we have coming up (today),” coach Mike Brey said. “In Long Beach State, we’re basically playing a Big East game.”

The 49ers opened the season with wins over Alaska-Anchorage (86-65 Nov. 14) and Pepperdine (67-58 Tuesday) and are averaging 76.5 points.

Picked to win the Big West Conference, Long Beach returns four starters – guards Larry Anderson, Casper Ware and Stephen Gilling and forward T.J. Robinson – from last season’s 15-15 team.

Anderson, a preseason All-Big West team selection, is averaging 19 points, and Robinson is averaging 15. Ware and Gilling are averaging 9.5 points each.

“We really have to keep our head into it,” Irish guard Tory Jackson said of tonight’s game. “That’s a great team coming in. You have to be prepared and mentally ready.”

Notre Dame can count on reserve forward Tim Abromaitis to be prepared.

The junior has scored career highs in his last two games, scoring 13 against North Florida on Saturday and 17 against Saint Francis, as the Irish’s first substitute.

Abromaitis is also contributing in other areas. He has nine rebounds, and he came up with a big block midway through the second half against Saint Francis.

“He’s had two really good nights,” Brey said. “We need him to score. He’s gotten better as a defender, and he can get up on the backboard a little bit too. He blocked a key shot at a key time (Monday). I just want him to keep being confident.”

tkrausz@jg.net