ARCATA, Calif. — Cal Poly Humboldt men's basketball mounted a spirited second-half comeback, including an 11–0 run that electrified the Lumberjack Arena crowd and cut the deficit to just one point, but UC Merced held off the late push as the Jacks fell 74–64 on Saturday afternoon.

The Bobcats' efficiency inside proved to be the difference, shooting 56.4 percent from the field and scoring 54 points in the paint. Despite that, the Jacks showed resilience throughout—particularly during their second-half surge that brought the Arena to life before Merced regained control down the stretch.

Bineyard Records Double-Double, Bento-Jackson Shines as Playmaker

Zaveion Bineyard led the charge for the Jacks with an impressive double-double performance. The junior forward poured in a team-high 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting while grabbing 11 rebounds, including 10 on the defensive glass, to pace Humboldt on both ends of the floor.

Brandon Bento-Jackson put together one of his most complete outings of the season, finishing with 11 points, knocking down three three-pointers, and dishing out a team-high eight assists while committing just one turnover in 36 minutes of action.

Humboldt also saw contributions from Dorrell Thomas (9 points, three triples), Shakir Odunewu (8 points, 7 rebounds), and Drew Ardouin (9 points, 3 steals). The Jacks knocked down 12 threes on the afternoon but were outmatched inside, with Merced's frontcourt presence proving decisive.

Game Flow

UC Merced led 34–28 at halftime, but the Jacks came out firing after the break. Trailing by double digits, Humboldt ripped off an 11–0 burst fueled by defensive stops and long-range shooting, pulling within 46–45 midway through the half. The Bobcats, however, answered with timely buckets—especially from Elijah Charles, who finished with a game-high 23 points—and never allowed the Jacks to take the lead during the late stretch.

Humboldt's defense forced 10 Merced turnovers and produced 13 fast-break points, but UC Merced's 70.8 percent shooting in the second half ultimately sealed the result.

Up Next

Cal Poly Humboldt now embark on a two-game road swing:

• Friday, December 19 — at Cal State San Marcos (7:30 PM)

• Sunday, December 21 — at Cal State Monterey Bay (3:00 PM)

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.

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