ARCATA, Calif. — On a day dedicated to celebrating senior Kyra Stewart, Cal Poly Humboldt delivered a performance worthy of the occasion.
Behind a dominant double-double from Riley Sanz and a strong all-around team effort, the red-hot Lumberjacks defeated Cal State San Marcos 78-68 on Saturday afternoon in their final home game of the regular season at Lumberjack Arena. Stewart was honored in a pregame Senior Day ceremony prior to tip-off.
With the victory, Humboldt extended its win streak to eight games — the program's longest since 2019 — and secured its first 20-win season (20-8, 18-4 CCAA) in over a decade, last accomplished in 2014-15. It is also the highest seed earned since 2014-15 (No. 1 seed).
The win also clinched the No. 2 seed for the 'Jacks in next weekend's CCAA Tournament in Pomona. Humboldt receives a first-round bye and will face the winner of No. 3 seed Cal State LA and No. 6 seed Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday, March 6 at noon in the semifinal round.
"I am extremely happy for our team," said head coach Michelle Bento-Jackson. "This is the result of their hard work and determination throughout the year and they are being rewarded. It has been a total joy for me to coach them and I'm thankful that we get to keep playing. We will continue to stay locked in and work hard in getting prepared for next week."
In front of nearly 600 fans, the 'Jacks set the tone immediately. Humboldt shot 56.3 percent in the opening quarter and buried four three-pointers to jump out to a 23-12 lead. The Green and Gold continued their efficient play in the second quarter, shooting 52.9 percent and holding San Marcos to just 3-of-15 from the field, building a commanding 43-22 halftime advantage.
Sanz led the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds for her double-double, going 9-for-15 from the field while adding three assists and a block in 40 minutes of action.
Sienna Cherwinski provided a major perimeter spark, scoring 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, while going a perfect 4-for-4 at the free throw line. Jordyn Smith added 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals in a strong two-way performance. Jada Barnes contributed 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Shade Satica added 10 points and four assists off the bench.
Humboldt shot 50.0 percent (28-56) from the field and 42.1 percent (8-19) from three-point range, while forcing 16 Cougar turnovers and converting them into 24 points. The 'Jacks also controlled the paint with a 30-18 scoring edge and added 15 fast-break points.
Cal State San Marcos (7-20, 4-18 CCAA) mounted a second-half push behind Tatum Tamashiro's 19 points and Kaity Haan's 15 rebounds. The Cougars shot 56.3 percent in the third quarter and 61.5 percent in the fourth to cut the deficit to single digits. However, Humboldt sealed the game at the free throw line, converting 10-of-15 attempts in the final period to secure the 10-point victory.
As the final horn sounded, it marked more than just the end of the regular season at Lumberjack Arena — it capped a milestone afternoon for Stewart and one of the most successful regular seasons in recent program history.
Now winners of eight straight and carrying the program's longest surge since 2019, the 'Jacks head to Pomona with momentum and championship aspirations, just two wins away from a CCAA Tournament title.
For all information on the CCAA Tournament, click here.
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