ARCATA, Calif. — On a day dedicated to four seniors, Cal Poly Humboldt delivered a statement victory.
Behind a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double from senior Shakir Odunewu and a clutch late three-pointer from Wayne Hampton III, the Lumberjacks defeated Cal State San Marcos 65-61 on Saturday afternoon inside a packed Lumberjack Arena. With the win, Humboldt clinched the No. 3 seed in next weekend's CCAA Tournament — the program's highest conference tournament seed in 11 seasons (2014-15).
The 'Jacks (15-13, 13-9 CCAA) will rematch No. 6 seed Cal State San Marcos (14-13, 11-11 CCAA) in the first round on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. from Kellogg Arena in Pomona.
Prior to tip-off, Humboldt honored its four seniors — Rob Jenkins, Shakir Odunewu, Drew Ardouin, and Dennis Cash — in a pregame ceremony as part of Fan Appreciation and Senior Day. The quartet helped guide the Lumberjacks back to the postseason in head coach DJ Broome's first year at the helm.
"We're super thankful for our crowd and community for the support all year long," said Broome following the win. "We've definitely had better performances but proud of our guys for pulling it out and advancing to the postseason. We took some major strides this year as a program and look forward to continuing to build and continued success this season."
Odunewu led the way with his fifth double-double of the season, finishing with 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting and 8-of-10 from the free throw line while pulling down 10 rebounds. He anchored a Humboldt effort that shot 48.9% from the field and controlled the glass with a 33-31 rebounding edge.
Zaveion Bineyard added his own double-double with 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, while also contributing four assists and four blocks in a complete performance on both ends. Brandon Bento-Jackson provided a major spark from beyond the arc, knocking down 4-of-6 from three-point range to finish with 12 points.
Humboldt came out firing in the first half, shooting 53.8% and building a 37-21 lead at the break while holding San Marcos to just 23.1% shooting in the first half and not allowing a field goal the first 14 minutes of the half. The Cougars battled back in the second half, trimming the deficit and eventually tying the contest at 61-61 with under a minute to play.
That's when Hampton delivered the defining moment of the afternoon.
With 23 seconds remaining and the score knotted at 61, Hampton calmly buried a three-pointer to give the 'Jacks a 64-61 advantage, sending the Lumberjack Arena crowd of 855 into a frenzy. Humboldt secured the defensive stop on the ensuing possession and sealed the 65-61 victory at the free throw line.
Hampton finished with eight points, three assists, and five rebounds off the bench, including the biggest shot of the afternoon.
Rob Jenkins added seven points and six rebounds in his final home game, while Drew Ardouin contributed six points, including a pair of three-pointers. Dennis Cash saw action as well as part of the Senior Day celebration.
Cal State San Marcos was led by Keavie Love's 20 points, with Micah Boone and Chris Carrillo adding 11 points apiece.
With the win, Humboldt not only secured its first CCAA Tournament appearance under Broome, but also positioned itself for its highest postseason seed in over a decade — a significant milestone in the program's continued climb.
The Lumberjacks now turn their attention to Pomona (host site), where they will face the Cougars once again Thursday evening with a trip to the semifinals on the line. The winner of Thursday's game will take on No. 2 Cal State Dominguez Hills on Friday, March 6 at 5:30 p.m.
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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