HAYWARD, Calif. – Humboldt State men's basketball overcame an eight-point halftime deficit to snap its losing streak and defeat Cal State East Bay 82-79 Friday in Pioneer Gymnasium.
 
"We played well tonight," said HSU Head Coach Steve Kinder. "We played winning basketball and sustained a 40-minute effort for the victory. We will get good rest, travel to Cal State Monterey Bay tomorrow and reload for another tough CCAA game."
 
East Bay shot 52.9 percent from the field in the first half, and the home team led 43-35 at intermission. Jalen Richard led the Pioneers' scoring effort with 10 points in the first 20 minutes.
 
Tyras Rattler Jr. sparked the Jacks' comeback with 17 of his team-high 27 points in the second half. A Rattler free throw erased HSU's deficit and knotted the game at 56-56 with 11:47 left in regulation.
 
A Malik Morgan layup gave the Jacks (9-10, 4-8 CCAA) a game-high, seven-point advantage with 7:25 to play. Morgan finished the game with 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting.
 
The Pioneers (12-8, 5-7 CCAA) tied the games several times down the stretch, but the Jacks capitalized on free-throw opportunities en route to the road win. HSU connected on a season-high 28 free throws Friday night and shot 75.7 percent at the charity stripe.
 
The Jacks shot 57.1 percent from the field in the second half.
 
East Bay outrebounded HSU 34-31, and Calvin Young II pulled down a team-high 14 boards for the Green and Gold. He rounded out his third double-double of the season with 14 points in the win.
 
"It's great to be a part of this learning process and watch these freshmen and sophomores grow up and understand what it takes to win on the road in the CCAA," said Kinder. "They proved that they can play at a heightened intensity for a full NCAA basketball game."
 
HSU wraps its road trip with a Saturday visit to the Kelp Bed. Tipoff against Cal State Monterey Bay is set for 7:30 p.m.