SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Cal Poly Humboldt men's basketball team closed out the calendar year with a thrilling 79-73 victory over Westmont on Saturday afternoon at Murchison Gymnasium. A dominant first-half performance and a balanced scoring effort propelled the Lumberjacks to their fifth win of the season, improving to 5-4 overall.
Humboldt set the tone early, outscoring Westmont 46-28 in the opening half. The Lumberjacks shot a scorching 54.3% from the field during the first 20 minutes, converting on 19-of-35 attempts, including 3-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Westmont made a furious push in the second half, outscoring Humboldt 45-33, but the Jacks weathered the storm with timely free throws and key defensive stops.
"Proud of our guys to get a good road win right before the holiday break," said head coach Chris Tifft. "Thought we had a great week of practice and it really showed the first 30 minutes of the game. Our defensive effort was where we needed to be and we played unselfish on offense. Just need to clean up the last few minutes, but overall great effort and a good feeling headed into the break."
Key Performers
- Jamal Briscoe led the Lumberjacks with 13 points, going a perfect 4-of-4 from the field and 3-of-3 from deep.
- Aidan Fowler provided a spark off the bench with 14 points, highlighted by a flawless 6-of-6 performance from the free-throw line.
- Kyle Frelow recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, dominating on both ends of the glass.
- Rob Diaz III contributed a team-high 11 rebounds and added nine points. Defensively the sophomore guard had 3 steals and 2 blocks.
The Jacks' bench was a significant factor, contributing 27 points, compared to Westmont's 11. Humboldt also capitalized on turnovers, scoring 16 points off Westmont miscues.
For Westmont, Adrian McIntyre led all scorers with 23 points, but needed 25 shots to get there. De'Undrae Perteete added 15 points, including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc.
Team Stats
Humboldt finished the game shooting 48.3% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range, while Westmont shot 40.9% overall and 32.3% from deep. Humboldt also won the rebounding battle 41-35 and converted 15-of-18 free throws for an efficient 83.3%.
What's Next
The Lumberjacks enter the holiday break on a high note and will look to build on this momentum as they resume CCAA play on January 2 at Stanislaus State. Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM.
Cal Poly Humboldt Athletics thanks all fans for their support in 2024. Go Jacks!
For more information on Cal Poly Humboldt men's basketball, please visit humboldtathletics.com, download our mobile app, and follow us on all social media platforms.
