Box Score HAYWARD – Even the best defenses cannot stop a team on its home floor hitting every other shot it fires up, and Humboldt State ran into such a team Saturday night. 
 
Host Cal State East Bay produced two halves of over 51-percent shooting from the floor with identical 14 of 27 periods on its way to a high-scoring 89-81 victory over HSU.
 
"It came down to East Bay playing at a higher level," said Lumberjacks head coach Steve Kinder. "They hit big time shots and kept their poise and composure in a big game. You have to credit East Bay for stepping up to the plate tonight."
 
The Jacks (5-7/0-6 California Collegiate Athletic Association) had their engine running in the first half in what was a back-and-forth opening 20 minutes of action.
 
HSU came back after Cal State East Bay (6-6/3-3 CCAA) scored the game's opening eight points — and three other times were down by five points — before briefly taking a one-point lead, 32-31, with three minutes to go in the half. The Pioneers edged out the 40-37 halftime advantage.
 
"We played hard and together with a roster full of freshmen who gained some huge road experience in the CCAA," added Kinder.
 
It was the two juniors on the young Jacks — Allan Guei and David Howard — who led the fight all night.
 
Guei connected on 10 of 16 tries for a season-high 29 points, while completing a double-double for the 5-foot-9 guard with 10 rebounds.  He also had two assists.
 
After only playing 16 minutes Friday night, Howard banked home 28 points and grabbed eight boards.
 
Meniru Ofodu, Colin Caslick and Brandon Pomrehn all chipped in six points apiece.
 
HSU was able to outrebound the home team, 35-29, while connecting on a solid 29 of 60 attempts over the contest.
 
The Jacks came out of the intermission strong. Chris Pender had a putback, and Guei followed with a pair of foul shots for a 41-40 lead only 52 seconds into the second half.
 
HSU's lead, though, would only last 30 seconds. Cal State East Bay's Gabe Kindred, who led with 24 points, drained a 3-pointer as part of six consecutive points to recapture the lead, 47-41.
 
The six-point short burst provided the needed cushion for the remaining 17 minutes of play.  The Pioneers allowed the Jacks to get no closer than four points, 52-48, on a Howard triple at 14:23 the rest of the night.
 
Cal State East Bay used timely shooting down the stretch including hitting 10 of 20 from long-range on the night to keep and extend the margin until the eight-point, 89-81, final.
 
Mark Samuels added 17 points and eight assists for the Pioneers' cause.
 
HSU returns to the North Coast for a pair of games next week. The Jacks begin by hosting the Seawolves of Sonoma State in Lumberjack Arena on Thursday night with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.