SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- In their lone exhibition matchup of the preseason, the Cal Poly Humboldt Lumberjacks faced a tall task on the road Tuesday night, taking on NCAA Division I Santa Clara University in the Broncos' home opener at Leavey Center. Behind a strong first-half surge, the Broncos—picked to finish fourth in the West Coast Conference Preseason Poll—defeated the Lumberjacks, 83–53.
GAME SUMMARY
Junior center Shakir Odunewu led all scorers with 20 points on an efficient 7-for-12 shooting night, adding seven rebounds and a pair of assists for Humboldt. Zaveion Bineyard chipped in 11 points, while Rob Jenkins added seven and Drew Ardouin and Brandon Bento-Jackson each tallied six.
The Lumberjacks competed hard throughout the night against a Santa Clara team loaded with preseason All-WCC talent and a former G-League player. The Broncos' size, athleticism, and depth created challenges inside, leading to a 47–36 rebounding edge and 50 points in the paint. A late first-half surge by Santa Clara extended the lead to 45–25 at the break, but Humboldt continued to battle and show composure against the Division I opponent.
Despite the deficit, Humboldt showed resilience in stretches, limiting turnovers and displaying flashes of offensive chemistry as the team continues to integrate several new faces early in the season. The matchup marked the Broncos' season opener before a crowd of 1,116, while the exhibition did not count toward the Lumberjacks' official record.
COACH'S CORNER
Head Coach David Broome praised his team's effort and the opportunity to test themselves against a high-caliber Division I opponent.
"Santa Clara was well coached and extremely physical as expected," Broome said. "I'm proud of our guys and thought we played well in spurts and showcased our potential as a group. The challenge for us will continue to be putting 40 minutes together, which is somewhat to be expected with so many new faces this early in the season. Overall, I think this was a great experience for our group, and we will build on it as we really get started next weekend."
UP NEXT
Cal Poly Humboldt will open regular-season play in just under two weeks, as they travel to begin non-conference action at the West Region Tipoff Challenge, hosted by Dominican University at the Conlan Center. On Friday, November 14 the 'Jacks will take on Western Washington at 5:00 PM followed by a Saturday nightcap against the host, Dominican University, at 7:15 PM on the 15th.
For more information on Cal Poly Humboldt men's basketball, visit humboldtathletics.com, download our mobile app on Apple iOS or Google Android, and follow the Lumberjacks on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Facebook.
Instagram: @humboldt.athletics
Twitter/X: @HumboldtJacks
Facebook: Cal Poly Humboldt Lumberjacks
