ARCATA, Calif. — In a night that will live forever in program history, Cal Poly Humboldt stunned No. 10 Cal Poly Pomona, 57-56, on Thursday evening inside Lumberjack Arena, handing the Broncos their first CCAA loss of the season after a 10-0 start in conference play.
The victory marked the second time Cal Poly Humboldt has upset a Top-10 ranked opponent (No. 1 UCSD, 2/22/12, 74-73) and came in fitting fashion during an evenly matched, back-and-forth Cal Poly Clash, sponsored by Fatima Naylor of Humboldt Mortgage. The defensive battle featured 14 lead changes and seven ties, with neither team leading by more than a few possessions throughout the contest.
Freshman guard Keana Gosney delivered the moment of the night, knocking down the go-ahead bucket in the final seconds to lift the Lumberjacks past the nationally ranked Broncos as Lumberjack Arena erupted.
Humboldt (11-6, 9-2 CCAA) trailed 17-13 after the first quarter before responding with an 18-point second period to take a narrow halftime lead. Cal Poly Pomona (15-2, 10-1 CCAA) regained momentum in the third quarter, but the Lumberjacks answered once again, outscoring the Broncos 14-12 in the final frame to seal the historic win.
Freshman center Jordyn Smith anchored Humboldt on both ends of the floor with a stellar all-around performance, finishing with 18 points, 14 rebounds, five blocks, and two steals, while playing all 40 minutes. Smith controlled the paint defensively and provided a steady presence as Humboldt held Pomona to just 29.7 percent shooting from the field.
Humboldt's bench also played a key role, matching Pomona with 20 bench points, while the Lumberjacks forced 16 turnovers and converted them into 16 points.
Cal Poly Pomona was led by Sydney Nelson's game-high 21 points, but Humboldt's defense limited the Broncos to just 1-of-16 shooting from three-point range in the contest.
Cal Poly Humboldt returns to Lumberjack Arena on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. for the final game of the homestand against Cal State San Bernardino (7-9, 5-6 CCAA). The matchup will be a White-Out Game, with fans encouraged to wear white. Students who arrive to the student section prior to tip-off will receive free white shirts while supplies last.
For more information on Cal Poly Humboldt women'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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