ARCATA, Calif..--- The visiting Cal State Monterey Bay Otters held off a late second half rally in their 76-72 road victory over the Humboldt State Lumberjacks.
Leland Green paced the 'Jacks with 20 points while
Isaiah Pope chipped in 15 points and
Zachariah Christian had 12 for the 'Jacks.
FIRST HALF: Cal State Monterey Bay (7-13, 4-10 CCAA) jumped out to an early 10-4 lead on a trey by Charlie Tooley. The Otters increased their lead to 17-6 on a jumper by Andrew Ferguson five minutes into the game. A three by
Isaiah Pope off a pass from
Leland Green capped a 5-0 run by the 'Jacks as they cut the deficit to 17-11. A jumper by Joseph Bosetti increased the Otters' lead to 23-13, but three times the 'Jacks cut the Otter lead to eight including on a lay-up by
Arash Poorsina off a pass from
Deion Alston (27-19) with a little under nine minutes left in the half. An old-fashioned three-point play by Poorsina off a pass from
Rob Lewis cut the HSU deficit to 27-22 with just 7:44 to go in the first half. HSU kept its run going as a three by
Jackson Strong cut CSUMB's lead to 30-27. A
Zachariah Christian lay-up off a pass from
Leland Green made it 32-31 with just 3:15 left in the half. A lay-up by Ferguson gave CSUMB a 36-31 lead, but two free throws by Pope made it 36-33 CSUMB heading into the half.
SECOND HALF: A three by
Leland Green off a pass from
Jackson Strong capped 5-2 run by the 'Jacks to begin the second half. Two made free throws by Andrew Ferguson increased the guests' lead to 48-40 five minutes into the new stanza. A three by Strong capped a 6-0 run by the Lumberjacks as they cut the Otter lead to 48-46. The visitors built their lead to 55-46 as they went on a 7-0 run in the next couple of minutes. Back to back lay-ups by
Isaiah Pope surrounded by a Jahvon Johnson cut the Otter lead to 57-52 half-way through the second half. Two made free throws by
Amari Green made it CSUMB 58-56, but back to back three's by Tommy Kramer and Andrew Ferguson increased the Otter lead to 64-58. With 4:42 left, HSU cut the Otter lead to 66-63 on a lay-up by
Zachariah Christian. Once again, the Otters went on a run this time a 7-3 run to take a 73-66 lead. A jumper by
Leland Green cut the HSU deficit to 73-68 with just 1:45 to go in regulation. A lay-up by
Amari Green and a Pope lay-up off a pass from
Amari Green cut CSUMB's lead to 73-72 with just 23 seconds left. Johnson made one of his two free throws to give CSUMB a 74-72 lead with ten ticks on the clock, but an HSU turnover gave the Otters back the ball and they sealed the 76-72 win on two free throws by Damian Wilson.
16-9: Humboldt State (7-12, 3-11 CCAA) scored 16 points off of Otters' 15 turnovers while CSUMB just scored nine points off of HSU's nine turnovers.
STILL ALIVE: The Lumberjacks are in twelfth place with their 3-11 CCAA record, but are just 2.5 games out of the eighth and final spot for the CCAA Basketball Championships. Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills are each tied for the eighth spot with their respective 5-8 record. HSU is two games out tenth place (SF State) and one out of eleventh place (Cal State Monterey Bay).
13/9: Humboldt State had 13 assists with nine turnovers this evening. Three Lumberjacks each had three assists in
Zachariah Christian,
Jackson Strong and
Amari Green while
Leland Green had two assists.
10 FOR 12: The hosts went 10-for-12 from the line this evening with three 'Jacks going a combined nine-for-nine from the charity stripe in
Amari Green (four-for-four),
Leland Green (three-for-three) and
Isaiah Pope (two-for-two).
UP NEXT: Humboldt State will be on the road for its next two games in Southern California. HSU will be at No. 5 UC San Diego this Thursday, January 30 for an 8pm game with the Tritons. The 'Jacks will finish off its road trip with a 3pm game in San Marcos against Cal State San Marcos on Saturday, February 1.
