ARCATA, Calif. – Back in the win column and holding sole possession of third place in the CCAA standings, the Cal Poly Humboldt men's basketball team earned a 72-60 victory over San Francisco State on Saturday afternoon at Lumberjack Arena.
With four games remaining in the regular season, the 'Jacks improved to 13-11 overall and 11-7 in conference play, while the Gators fell to 3-22 overall and 2-16 in the CCAA.
Cal Poly Humboldt set the tone early, shooting 48.3 percent from the field in the first half to take a 38-28 lead into the break. The Lumberjacks never trailed in the second half, maintaining control down the stretch behind strong rebounding and timely free throw shooting.
Leading the way was Shakir Odunewu, who recorded his fourth double-double of the season in dominant fashion. Odunewu posted Humboldt career-highs with 25 points and 13 rebounds, shooting an efficient 8-of-12 from the field and 9-of-11 from the free throw line. Odunewu was especially impactful on the glass, hauling in nine defensive boards and four offensive rebounds to help the 'Jacks secure a 39-27 advantage on the boards.
Zaveion Bineyard delivered one of his most complete performances of the season, finishing with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. He added nine rebounds, four offensive, as Humboldt controlled the paint and converted second-chance opportunities into 12 points.
Rob Jenkins orchestrated the offense with poise, tallying 11 points and a game-high seven assists while pulling down five rebounds in 36 minutes of action. Brandon Bento-Jackson added six points and five rebounds, and Wayne Hampton III chipped in four points, four rebounds and three assists.
The Lumberjacks shot 45.1 percent from the field for the game and knocked down 20-of-28 free throws (71.4 percent), including 13 second-half makes to keep the Gators at bay. Humboldt also outscored San Francisco State 34-32 in the paint and held the visitors to 38.7 percent shooting overall.
After a tightly contested opening stretch that featured four lead changes and one tie, Humboldt used a strong first-half push to create separation. The 'Jacks limited the Gators to just 1-of-10 shooting from three-point range in the opening 20 minutes and carried that defensive momentum through the final whistle.
With momentum on their side and the postseason picture sharpening, Cal Poly Humboldt will look to build on Saturday's performance as it enters the final four games of the regular season firmly positioned in third place in the CCAA standings.
Up Next
Cal Poly Humboldt will head to Southern California for a pair of CCAA games next week on the road. On Thursday, the 'Jacks will take on Cal State San Bernardino (12-13, 9-9 CCAA) at 7:30pm, followed by a Saturday matinee at Cal Poly Pomona (13-11, 8-10 CCAA) at 3:00pm.
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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Twitter/X: @HumboldtJacks
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