ARCATA — Defense deserted Humboldt State for most of Saturday's game against Pacifica College, but the Jacks finally came up with much-needed stops to set up the game-winning shot in a 80-78 victory over Pacifica College.

Parker Farris rebounded a missed 3-pointer and sank a short fade-away with four seconds remaining to put HSU ahead. But it took one more defensive play to send the Gladiators home. They were able to inbound the ball and push it downcourt, but HSU's Jordan Mackie got a hand on Jonathan Earl's 3-point attempt, leaving it 10 feet short of the basket as time expired.

The loss left Pacifica College winless at 0-4 while Humboldt State improved to 3-1. The Lumberjacks continue their homestand Saturday, taking on Simpson University at 7:30 p.m. in Lumberjack Arena.

Leading the scoring again for HSU was junior David Howard, who finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Will Taylor came off the bench to jump start the Jacks, finishing with 14 points and eight rebounds.

Earl paced Pacifica with 23 points and six rebounds, while teammate Rafael Morales scored 20 and Horace Nguyen contributed 13. Earl sank three 3-pointers and Nguyen made four, helping the Gladiators finish with 40 percent accuracy from long range and 51 percent overall from the field.

Those numbers contrasted the Lumberjacks, who misfired repeatedly from beyond the arc, making only one 3-pointer in 24 attempts. They helped themselves on the boards, gaining extra shot opportunities with a 45-28 rebounding edge.

"The basketball gods reward you when you play good defense, and if you're not playing good defense it translates into poor shooting," HSU head coach Steve Kinder said. "We were scolded by the heavens above for not playing tough tonight."

It was clear from the game's first minutes that this was not the same Pacifica team the Lumberjacks routed 112-57 last season. Having already put up strong battles in losing efforts to UC Irvine, Dominican University and Fort Lewis (Colo.), the Gladiators looked determined to post their first win as they maintained the lead throughout the first half.

That advantage expanded to seven points when Nico Colon popped in a 3-pointer with 55 seconds remaining until halftime, but HSU's Brandon Pomrehn scored a layin before teammate Allan Guei dropped in one of his own to cut the Pacifica lead to 38-35 at the break.

In the second half, the Jacks were forced to alter their game plan of going inside to Pomrehn and Howard and instead attack with a smaller lineup. Key to the plan's success was Taylor, who has quickly developed into the Lumberjacks' utility man off the bench.

"Will isn't in the starting lineup now, but he deserves to be," Kinder said. "He's been fantastic off the bench. He comes in and immediately gives us energy."

"I've embraced the role," said Taylor, a freshman out of Arcata High. "It doesn't matter if I'm in at the beginning of the game. I want to be in at the end."

After appearing to find their form when they tied the game early in the second half, the Jacks quickly slipped behind again and trailed 62-56 after Earl's 3-pointer with 10:14 left to play. Layups by Howard and Taylor cut the deficit to two points, then the pair combined when Taylor found Howard in the paint to tie the game at 64-64.