Box Score ARCATA — When a team laden with experienced NCAA Division I transfers meets a squad comprised primarily of freshmen, the outcome is usually predictable. And when that same group of veterans has been forecast to win the league championship, the spread widens.
In the end, that theory came to fruition in CSU San Bernardino's 89-79 win over Humboldt State in a California Collegiate Athletic Association game played Saturday. However, it didn't come easily for the Coyotes, who survived a scare when HSU's young talent put on a surge that kept Lumberjack Arena rocking until the end.
"The bottom line is (CSU San Bernardino) is traditionally one of the most successful programs in the CCAA, as are we," HSU head coach
Steve Kinder said. "They're a team with players who filter in for one year and then are gone, and we're a program that likes to build with freshmen that we'll have for four years. You have to ask yourself, 'who would you root for?' "
With the victory, the Coyotes improved to 4-1 overall and 3-0 in the CCAA. Humboldt State lost its second straight league game, falling to 4-3 overall and 0-2 in conference.
Cal State San Bernardino, with nary a freshman and only one sophomore seeing court time Saturday, led by 20 points midway through the second half after catching fire during a 30-11 run in the first 10 minutes of the period. Humboldt State, featuring three freshmen in prominent roles, appeared ready to roll over and accept its fate.
That all changed in the final four minutes when the Lumberjacks dug deep for an effort that produced a 15-4 run that cut the deficit to six points at 85-79 with 45 seconds remaining. A missed 3-pointer kept HSU from drawing any closer however, and the Coyotes sank four free throws in the final 30 seconds to escape with the win.
"I'm extremely proud of guys for the heart they showed for a full 40 minutes tonight," Kinder said. "This was their first encounter with a team we consider a rival. Now they know what it's like."
Four Lumberjacks scored in double figures, led by
Allan Guei's 22 points.
David Howard produced 21 and a team-high nine rebounds, while
Jordan Mackie scored 13 and
Parker Farris 10.
The Coyotes were led by Kirby Gardner's 25 points, received 12 each from Lacy Haddock and Jordan Burris, and 10 from Andrew Young. Three of the four are seniors who previously played for NCAA Division I schools before joining CSUSB for the first time this season.
Most of the first half featured a close contest, but the Coyotes managed to stretch their lead to nine points on Joshua Gouch's layup with 6 minutes, 49 seconds remaining in the period. The Jacks answered with a layup and free throw from freshman
Will Taylor and a 3-pointer from Farris, another freshman, to trim the deficit to one point.
HSU gained a brief lead at 29-28 when Farris drove for a layup, but two layups from Haddock helped send the Coyotes into halftime with a 37-36 lead.
The big difference in the second half was CSUSB's shooting, which heated up to 66 percent in the second half after a 43-percent performance in the first. Humboldt State managed to connect on only 38 percent of its overall attempts.
The Lumberjacks have only one game on this week's schedule, traveling to face Cal Poly Pomona on Saturday. They'll return home for a non-league game against Linfield College on Monday, Dec. 16.
