Box Score ARCATA — Humboldt State took command in the opening minutes Thursday, cruising to a 73-63 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills in a California Collegiate Athletic Association men's basketball game.

After taking an 11-point lead on Brandon Sperling's layup only 4 minutes, 39 seconds into the game, the Lumberjacks only allowed the Toros to pull within single digits twice the rest of the way. The advantage ballooned to as much as 22 points before the Toros hit shots in the waning minutes to make the outcome appear more competitive.

Humboldt State improved its record to 16-5 overall, and the Jack's 13-5 CCAA record moved them a half game ahead of three others schools with whom the Lumberjacks shared the league coming into Thursday's action. Those teams – Chico State, Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State San Bernardino – all have a chance to pull even again tomorrow evening while the Lumberjacks sit idle before playing again Saturday.

"What is really rewarding is seeing the way we're playing at this part of the season," HSU head coach Steve Kinder said. "We've moving the ball around well, which was illustrated by the 18 assists we had tonight."

D.J. Broome and Kyle Baxter shared team-high with four assists each, dishing the ball to teammates Randy Hunter, who led the Jacks with 23 points, and Sperling, who finished with 16. Also scoring in double figures were Baxter with 11 points and Scott Clark with 11. Baxter was the Jacks' leading rebounder, pulling down eight boards.

"We have a lot of scorers, which makes it tough to guard us," Sperling said. "We're moving the ball better and playing more aggressive than earlier this season. We're a tough team to beat when we play that way."

Cal State Dominguez Hills, the same team the Jacks escaped with a two-point win against on Jan. 7, fell to 11-8 overall and is now 10-7 in the CCAA. George McGrew was the only Toro player in double figures, scoring 12 points. Robert Willhite and Van Girard II both put up nine points, and Girard led his team in boards with eight.

Hunter got the Jacks going, scoring 15 of his points in the first half to help HSU take a 40-22 lead by halftime. The lead hovered around 20 points throughout the second half, Hunter's layup with 6:29 left on the clock giving the Jacks their largest cushion at 64-42.

Cal State Dominguez Hills outscored the Lumberjacks, 10-1, to cut the lead to 11 with just over a minute remaining in the game. Sperling and the Toros' Cornell Jenkins traded three-pointers before Clark made a pair of free throws, and Jenkins hit another long bomb at the buzzer to finish the contest.

Saturday's opponent, Cal State Los Angeles, remained only one game out of first place by defeating Sonoma State, 79-73 in Rohnert Park on Thursday. Tip-off for the Jacks-Eagles match-up is 7:30 p.m. in Lumberjack Arena.