Box Score ROHNERT PARK — Avenging a loss sustained to the Lumberjacks earlier in the season, Sonoma State finished 2011 with a 80-75 win over Humboldt State in a California Collegiate Athletic Association men's basketball game Saturday afternoon. SSU improved its record to 4-6 on the season and 2-4 in league while Humboldt State dropped to 7-3 and 3-3 in the CCAA.

Will Olsem kept the Seawolves on target for an upset over the No. 16 nationally ranked Jacks, making three of four three-point attempts on the way to a game-high 18 points. Sonoma State shot 48 percent from the field as a team, while the Lumberjacks struggled through a 33-percent effort.

A sparring match characterized the first 10 minutes of the opening half, neither team gaining more than a three-point advantage. But while the Jacks went cold as the half continued, the Seawolves found their offense, a bad combination that resulted in a 11-1 SSU run.

More than five minutes passed before HSU finally scored with a Brandon Sperling free throw, and Sonoma State gained its largest lead of the half when Olsem bombed in a three-pointer from 30 feet out for a 31-23 advantage.

Defense created offense for the Lumberjacks when Scott Clark scrambled for a steals on consecutive SSU possessions, both times earning himself free throw chances. The senior converted three of four, pulling Humboldt State within three at 35-32 with 21 seconds left in the half.

Ethan Dillard shifted the momentum to the Lumberjacks with a long three-pointer as the half expired. That aerial cut Sonoma State's lead to 36-35 at the interval.

Both teams struggled offensively early in the second period, missing shots and turning the ball over on equal terms. A four-minute scoring drought held the score at 50-49, SSU, until Sterling Arterberry sank a pair of free throws to put the Seawolves up 52-49 with 10:39 left to play.

Igniting Sonoma State's offense was Olsem, who sank a three-pointer with 9:09 on the clock, and Justin Herrold's layup and another putback inflated the Seawolves' lead to 61-53 with 7:06 left to play.

In the waning minutes, every Lumberjack comeback was answered by the Seawolves. HSU shaved the SSU lead to 65-62 when Dillard put down another three-pointer, but Olsem and Arterberry picked up Sonoma State, pushing the lead to seven again.

When Austin Bryan hit a three-pointer, the Lumberjacks found hope again, but Bryan was hurt on the play and couldn't return to the lineup. Forced to foul down the stretch, the Jacks were victimized by by Sonoma State's free throw accuracy, and trailed by three with 16 seconds left when Jason Walter headed to the line.

Walter broke the string, however, missing both chances, and the Jacks came down the floor looking for the tie. Sperling's three-pointer banged off the iron, and when Walter earned another opportunity at the line, he drained both free throws to put the game away.

Four Humboldt State players finished with double-digits in the scoring column led by Hunter's 16 points. The Lumberjack senior also contributed 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the year.

Sperling finished with 15 points, 10 of them on free throws, while Clark and Matt Lipski both added 11 points for the Jacks. Herrold  and Arterberry each scored 13 points for Sonoma State.

Humboldt State faces two more tough road trips at the end of the week, taking on Cal State Los Angeles Friday and Cal State Dominguez Hills Saturday. Both CCAA games will be broadcast on KATA, 1340 AM radio, and also audio-streamed on hsujacks.com.

Humboldt State vs Sonoma State
12/31/11 3:00 pm PST at Rohnert Park, Calif. (The Wolves' Den)
At Rohnert Park, Calif. (The Wolves' Den)
SONOMA STATE 80, HUMBOLDT STATE 75
HUMBOLDT STATE (7-3, 3-3 CCAA)

HUNTER, Randy 5-8 5-8 16; SPERLING, Brandon 2-9 10-12 15; LIPSKI, Matt 4-9
3-4 11; CLARK, Scott 2-5 6-8 11; DILLARD, Ethan 3-5 0-0 9; BRYAN, Austin 2-5
2-2 8; BAXTER, Kyle 2-14 1-3 5; ESTERS, J.D. 0-0 0-0 0; LESLIE, Greg 0-4 0-0

0; BROOME, D.J. 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-60 27-37 75.
SONOMA STATE (4-6, 2-4 CCAA)
OLSEM, Will 5-7 4-5 18; HEROLD, Justin 7-12 0-1 14; ARTERBERRY, Sterling 3-5
6-6 13; WALTER, Jason 3-7 7-12 13; PRATT, Steven 2-5 3-7 7; SCOTT, Patrick

1-5 4-6 6; CROW, Brian 2-5 0-0 5; SHANNON, Andy 1-1 0-0 2; JENKINS, Jabri
0-2 2-2 2; SILSDORF, Jason 0-0 0-0 0; ARNOTT, Ashley 0-1 0-0 0; BOLTON,
Andrew 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-50 26-39 80.
Humboldt State................   35   40  -   75

Sonoma State..................   36   44  -   80
3-point goals--Humboldt State 8-20 (DILLARD, Ethan 3-5; BRYAN, Austin 2-4;
HUNTER, Randy 1-2; CLARK, Scott 1-3; SPERLING, Brandon 1-1; LESLIE, Greg
0-2; BAXTER, Kyle 0-3), Sonoma State 6-15 (OLSEM, Will 4-5; CROW, Brian 1-2;

ARTERBERRY, Sterling 1-3; PRATT, Steven 0-1; SCOTT, Patrick 0-1; ARNOTT,
Ashley 0-1; WALTER, Jason 0-2). Fouled out--Humboldt State-CLARK, Scott,
Sonoma State-ARTERBERRY, Sterling. Rebounds--Humboldt State 41 (HUNTER,

Randy 10), Sonoma State 35 (ARTERBERRY, Sterling 10). Assists--Humboldt
State 10 (BAXTER, Kyle 3; CLARK, Scott 3), Sonoma State 12 (PRATT, Steven
5). Total fouls--Humboldt State 31, Sonoma State 27. Technical
fouls--Humboldt State-None, Sonoma State-None. A-598

California Collegiate Athletic Association game