Box Score LA JOLLA – As has been a familiar story, Humboldt State proved it can match up with any opponent, but on Saturday against UC San Diego, pulling out the victory was again out of its reach.
 
After a David Howard hook shot gave HSU a one-point lead with 12 minutes to go in the game, UC San Diego went on a game-deciding 18-2 run and owned the final part of the game for a 75-61 victory.
 
"I credit UC San Diego for not bending but not breaking tonight. They showed signs of mental toughness and withstood our punches," said Lumberjacks coach Steve Kinder.
 
Following a grueling blow-for-blow battle with the No. 7 team CSU San Bernardino the previous night, HSU (8-12/3-11 California Collegiate Athletic Association) saw the gas tank hit the red at the final minutes Saturday night.
 
"We looked fatigued, tired and didn't come out and play 40 minutes. We did all we could possible to rest with staying in San Bernardino last night, but didn't have the energy levels UC San Diego had stored up for the game."
 
Freshman Parker Farris finished with top Lumberjacks' honors with 15 points. Allan Guei added 14 points and three assists, while the CCAA's leading scorer Howard hit for only 13 points. Jordan Mackie chipped in 12 points on five of 10 shooting as the other double-digit player.
 
The Tritons (10-8/6-8 CCAA) completed the season series sweep behind their veteran senior point guard James McCann, who downed six of nine shots for 17 points to go with eight assists.
 
"Their senior point guard McCann has been the backbone for four years of San Diego's team. He stood up to playing on the second night with his conditioning which is at a remarkable level," said Kinder.
 
Drew Dyer and Aleks Lipovic contributed 17 and 16 points, respectively.
 
HSU held the lead for the better part of the opening stanza.
 
Trailing 6-0, Guei and Farris drained back-to-back triples to spark a 15-3 spurt to open a six-point HSU lead, 15-9, six minutes into the action. The Tritons answered back to recapture the advantage, before a Farris driving layup made it 26-25. UC San Diego edged out a 35-30-intermission lead in the final four first half minutes.

UCSD increased the difference to eight points three times in the first two minutes of the second half.
 
HSU chipped away at the deficit until putting together three buckets in a row to go from trailing by five points into what would be its final lead, 52-51, on the Howard hook shot at 11:50 remaining.
 
UC San Diego netted the next five points and 18 of the next 20 for the game-deciding swing.
 
HSU will head back to Lumberjack Arena for its next set of home CCAA games starting Thursday night, Feb. 6, at 7:30 p.m. against Cal State East Bay.