ARCATA, Calif. – In a game that featured 14 lead changes, 12 ties, and no team leading by more than eight points, it was the conference's top team that pulled it out in the end. Humboldt State men's basketball (13-5, 7-5) fell in a tight contest to UC San Diego (16-3, 11-2), 73-69, on Thursday night.
 
Malik Morgan drained a three pointer with 4:23 remaining in the first half to give the Jacks a four-point edge, 26-22, the largest for either team before halftime. With the Green and Gold down a point, 28-29, with 1:45 remaining in the opening 20 minutes, Rakim Brown sunk a jumper for two of his 19 points. The one-point score remained and the home team held a 30-29 advantage at the break.
 
The Tritons scored the first five points of the second half before Brown's layup closed the gap to one-point, 33-34, once again. San Diego pushed its lead to four-points for at the 12:47 mark on a Drew Dyer layup. Dyer finished with a team high 18 points.
 
The Jacks immediately had an answer in the form of Thomas Witzel. The senior responded with a layup of his own, and cut the score to 40-42. After Humboldt again trailed by a possession, 48-45, it was Witzel who stepped out and knocked down a game-tying three to make it 48 all. Witzel finished with a game-high 21 points, but really did his damage at the charity stripe, knocking down 7-of-8.
 
Following a missed Triton three with 6:48 remaining, Morgan answered with a driving layup to give the home team a four-point cushion, 56-52, with 6:39 to play. Morgan shot an efficient 4-for-7 from the field for nine points.
 
After tying it at 58 apiece, UC San Diego would not go away. The visitors went on an 8-2 run, only broken up by another Witzel jumper, to go up eight with 1:31 to play. The Jacks played the fouling game down the stretch to chip into that deficit, but could not get closer than three points and eventually losing by four, 73-69.
 
Brown finished with a double-double for the Jacks, collecting 11 boards to go along with his 19 points.
 
HSU will return to action on Saturday, with Cal State San Bernardino coming to Lumberjack Arena for a 7:30 p.m. start.