ARCATA — One game past the halfway mark, Humboldt State's men's basketball team begins to see familiar faces when it hosts a pair of California Collegiate Athletic Association games this week. Joining the Jacks in Lumberjack Arena are the Cal State East Bay Pioneers on Thursday and the UC San Diego Tritons on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. both nights.
On-the-Air
Every Lumberjack basketball game is broadcast live over the local airways on KATA, 1340 AM, beginning with the pregame show 15 minutes prior to game time. Bicoastal Media Sports Director J.B. Mathers describes the action from Lumberjack Arena and HSU Assistant Athletic Director Dan Pambianco goes on the road with the Jacks. …Audio and video are also streamed live over the Internet through the hsujacks.com web site. The new UStream format allows an interactive chat between listeners during the webcast. The specific URL for access is located at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/humboldt-state-athletics .
Live Stats
All Lumberjack basketball home games can be tracked online by using the Live Stats feature on hsujacks.com. Real time statistics, momentum tracker and other information are featured on the game viewer. The feature can be found at http://www.sidearmstats.com/humboldt/mbball/ .
Head-to-Head
Adding a win earlier this season, Humboldt State now stands at 32-46 in the all-time series against Cal State East Bay. The Jacks earned a 91-69 victory at Hayward on Dec. 30. …The Lumberjacks extended their cumulative record against UC San Diego to 9-1 with a 67-57 win on Dec. 19.
Head Coach Steve Kinder
The "Kinder Era" at HSU is off to an 13-2 start, including a 9-2 record in the CCAA. After serving as the Jacks' No. 1 assistant for the past 20 seasons, Kinder took over for his mentor, Tom Wood, in 2010-11. As an assistant, he played critical roles in recruiting and coaching while helping the Jacks' 217-77 record achieved during the past decade. Kinder is a former HSU basketball player who was a member of the 1984-85 NCAC championship team. He previously served as a graduate assistant coach for the Lumberjacks (1986-88).
Projected Starters
G - #3 DJ Broome, 5-5, Jr., Castro Valley
F - #15 Elliot Babcock-Krenk, 6-3, Sr., Lake Oswego, Ore.
F - #21 Randy Hunter, 6-6, Jr., Santa Maria
F - #21 Kyle Baxter, 6-9, Jr., Sacramento
C - #32 Brian Morris, 6-9, Sr., Portland, Ore.
Lumberjack Notes
Humboldt State remains listed among the nation's elite, sitting at No. 22 in the NABC/NCAA Division II men's basketball rankings released Monday. The Jacks slipped two notches from last week's poll following a loss at Cal State Dominguez Hills last week. …Wednesday marks the first release of the NCAA Division II West Region rankings, the poll that eventually determines the eight schools that will advance to the postseason tournament. The rankings will be released weekly until March 6, when the field will be officially announced. …With Brandon Sperling severely limited because of a lingering ankle injury, the Jacks have turned to junior point guard DJ Broome to fill the void. Broome responded last weekend with a solid performance Friday and a career night Saturday. Against CSUDH, Broome posted 11 points while grabbing 4 assists and making three steals. More amazingly, in 52 minutes of court-time Broome didn't turn the ball over. "I'm really proud of DJ," HSU head coach Steve Kinder said. "He and a number of other players stepped up while we've been battling injuries and other issues." …Among those elevating his game even further is Citrus College JC transfer Randy Hunter. The junior forward has score in double digits in 15 of the Jacks' 16 games, and posted his third double-double of the season Saturday, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds. "Randy has been a tireless, level-headed workhorse that you can rely on every night," Kinder said. "His toughness is contagious. He's the backbone of our team." …Senior post Brian Morris will be forced to sit out Thursday's game against Cal State East Bay after being suspended for one game in accordance with CCAA rules. Morris was ejected from the CSUDH game after being whistled for a flagrant foul. He will be available for Saturday's game against UC San Diego.
Opponents' Notes
Despite challenging opponents to tight games on a regular basis, Cal State East Bay has been unable to log a win and is currently in the midst of a 10-game slide. Last week the Pioneers fell to Cal Poly Pomona, 69-60, and lost to Cal State San Bernardino, 74-51. Both games were played in Hayward. …Sophomore guard Mark Samuels is leading the Pioneers in scoring with an average of 12.3 points per game. Junior guard Roshon Wynne is second with a 11.9 ppg average and a team-leading 23 3-point field goals. …UC San Diego has dropped five of its last six games, the lone win a double overtime win over Cal State LA. Last week the Triton were one point short of defeating Cal State San Bernardino in a 60-59 contest. They also lost a tight one to Cal Poly Pomona, 57-49. …Christian Hatch and Ryan Casey provide the 1-2 offensive punch for UC San Diego. Hatch, a 6-8 junior post, averages 14.2 points per game while Casey, a 6-4 senior guard, averages 12.5 ppg.
Kinder's Quotes
"Being at home for four straight games is a real plus. We got somewhat sideways with emotion and drama on the road last week. Being home will keep us focused." …"We're at the halfway point of the season and we're hoping to start another winning streak." …"With Brandon not at 100 percent and Brian out we'll have to focus on figuring out a way to manufacture points. The remaining players on the roster will all need to be a part of that."
