Carson, Calif. – In a game that lived up to its billing as the CCAA Game of the Week, Cal Poly Humboldt men's basketball saw a late lead slip away, as Cal State Dominguez Hills closed on a 10–0 run in the final minute to snap Humboldt's five-game winning streak and escape with a 78–77 victory Saturday afternoon inside the Torodome.
Both teams entered the contest tied for second place in the CCAA standings at 10–3, and the matchup delivered drama from start to finish. The Jacks appeared poised to make a statement on the road, building a 77–68 advantage with just over a minute remaining, but turnovers and timely Toro buckets flipped the outcome in the closing seconds. Humboldt still had a chance to respond, getting the final look with roughly three seconds remaining, but the potential game-winner would not fall as time expired.
Humboldt led 39–36 at halftime and maintained control for much of the second half behind efficient shooting and balanced scoring. The Jacks finished the afternoon shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from three-point range, while holding Dominguez Hills to just 20.8 percent from beyond the arc.
Shakir Odunewu turned in another strong performance, leading all Jacks with 21 points while going 8-of-9 at the free throw line and adding seven rebounds. Zaveion Bineyard was nearly flawless from the floor, scoring 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including two three-pointers.
Veteran guard Rob Jenkins orchestrated the offense with 12 points and eight assists, while Wayne Hampton III logged a team-high 37 minutes, finishing with 10 points and four rebounds. Off the bench, Drew Ardouin provided a spark with 10 points, six rebounds, and a pair of three-pointers in 30 minutes of action.
Dominguez Hills was led by Jalen Brown, who poured in 24 points, including four threes, while the Toros capitalized on Humboldt miscues down the stretch, scoring 19 points off turnovers to fuel the late comeback.
Despite the setback, Humboldt remains firmly in the CCAA playoff picture. The Jacks sit in third place, holding a three-game cushion over the teams chasing them and just one game behind Cal State Dominguez Hills, which moved into second place with the win.
Cal Poly Humboldt continues CCAA road play in the Central Valley next week, opening the trip at UC Merced (7–11, 5–9 CCAA) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., before closing the swing at Stanislaus State (10–10, 6–8 CCAA) on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.
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