SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – In a game that lived up to its billing as the CCAA Game of the Week, Cal Poly Humboldt saw a hard-fought road battle slip away in heartbreaking fashion, falling 80-77 at the buzzer to Cal State San Bernardino Thursday evening at Coussoulis Arena.
With the loss, the Lumberjacks move to 13-12 overall and 11-8 in CCAA play, but remain in sole possession of third place in the conference standings with three games left in the regular season. Humboldt holds a one-game edge over a trio of teams—Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State San Marcos and Cal State San Bernardino—who are tied for fourth at 10-9 in conference play.
Thursday's contest featured eight ties and eight lead changes, with neither side able to create separation in a back-and-forth affair that saw both teams shoot above 45 percent from the field.
Trailing in the closing moments, Humboldt was on the verge of a pivotal road win. Raydon Thorson delivered under pressure, knocking down a go-ahead basket with 15 seconds remaining to give the Lumberjacks a 77-75 advantage.
CSUSB answered on its ensuing possession, as Gavin Davis converted to even the score at 77 with 1.6 seconds left. Looking to inbound and push the game to overtime, Humboldt instead saw Xavier Clinton anticipate the pass, step into the passing lane and come away with a steal. Clinton immediately rose up and released the decisive shot, which fell as time expired to seal the 80-77 victory for the Coyotes.
Balanced Attack for the Jacks
Humboldt placed four players in double figures, led by Zaveion Bineyard's 21 points. Bineyard shot 7-of-12 from the field, including 2-of-5 from beyond the arc, and added seven rebounds and a steal in 35 minutes.
Brandon Bento-Jackson added 20 points, knocking down six three-pointers on 11 attempts while going a perfect 2-for-2 from the free throw line. The junior logged all 40 minutes and added three rebounds and three assists.
Shakir Odunewu contributed 13 points and five rebounds, while Rob Jenkins provided 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 18 minutes of action.
Michael Sarden gave the Lumberjacks a spark off the bench, scoring six points on a pair of three-pointers in 17 minutes.
As a team, Humboldt shot 45.8 percent (27-of-59) from the field and 36.7 percent (11-of-30) from long range. The Jacks were especially sharp in the second half, shooting 50 percent overall and 81.8 percent (9-of-11) from the free throw line. Humboldt also held a 33-26 advantage on the glass and scored 32 points in the paint.
CSUSB countered with a blistering 61.1 percent shooting performance, led by Aidan Fowler's 20 points and 18 from Davis. Clinton added 19 points, including the game-winning basket.
Up Next
With three regular season games remaining, Humboldt controls its destiny in the race for postseason positioning. The Lumberjacks will look to bounce back as they continue their final push through the CCAA schedule, aiming to secure their spot in the conference tournament while holding firm in third place. They will face Cal Poly Pomona (14-11, 9-10 CCAA) on Saturday at 3:00 PM from Kellogg Arena in Pomona.
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
