BOX SCORE Humboldt State 69, Sonoma State 67 -- Box Score
ARCATA, Calif. -- Justin Herold scored a season-high 22 points on 8 of 12 from the floor and two others scored in double figures, but the Sonoma State men's basketball team suffered another narrow defeat, a 69-67 decision against Humboldt State on Thursday night at Lumberjack Arena in Arcata. The Seawolves (1-10, 0-7 CCAA) have lost eight straight games, are still looking for their first conference win and have lost five of their 10 games this season by four points or less. Meanwhile, the Lumberjacks tallied their first CCAA win of the year, improving to 1-6 (6-7 overall).
Sonoma State got off to a fast start, speeding out to a 22-10 lead after the first 10 minutes of the ballgame; it was SSU's largest lead of the night. However, Humboldt State quickly closed the gap and got to within two points at 24-22 at the 4:00 mark and then never trailed by more than five points at any point the rest of the way. It was with 10:29 left in regulation that the Lumberjacks took the lead for good on a layup by Will Taylor, but not without some Seawolf resistance down the stretch.
In the final 1:03 with Sonoma State trailing by six points at 64-58, the two teams combined for 14 points, nine of which came by way of the free throw line, but the Seawolves were able to get within two points after a three-pointer by
James Davis with eight seconds left. On the next Humboldt State possession, SSU fouled immediately, putting HSU's Dylan Ingersoll on the free throw line with three seconds to play, but he would miss both tries and the Seawolves drove the length of the floor to attempt the game-tying shot, but the buzzer would sound before an attempt was made, signaling Sonoma's second-straight two-point loss.
The Seawolves shot 45.5 percent from the floor (20-44), but was successful on just 35.3 percent from beyond the three-point arc (6-17). Joining Herold in double figures was
Sterling Arterberry and
James Davis, both with 12 points. All 12 of Davis' points came from three-point range, as he was 4 for 6 from deep.
Humboldt State had four players in double figures led by the 18 points from David Howard. The 'Jacks made 50 percent of their shots (24-48), but was just 31.6 percent from long range (6-19).
Sonoma State will make the 680-mile trip south to Pomona for Saturday's 7:30 pm tipoff at Cal Poly Pomona, which defeated San Francisco State, 66-56, also on Thursday.
