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Defending CCAA Champion Humboldt State Too Tough in 77-72 Win Over Toros

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Carson, CA -- The visiting Humboldt State Lumberjacks showed why they're favored to repeat as CCAA Champions by making plays in crunch time in taking a hard-fought 77-72 win over the Toros, just one night after HSU's overtime victory at Cal State L.A. by the exact same score.

The Toros, who dropped to 2-2, 0-2 CCAA, took a 39-33 halftime lead over the 'Jacks, based in large part to their 52% vs. 35.7% shooting advantage.  Ryan Walton was CSUDH's offensive instigator early, tallying seven points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field.  After racing to a 7-0 lead to begin the contest, the Toros built their lead to 12-2 on a Rodney Yearby jumper, and to 16-4 on two of Walton's first-half points at the 14:10 mark.  CSUDH maintained its double-figure lead as late as 5:35 in the first half as Danny Tavares connected on a 5-footer for a 29-19 lead, but two Devin Peal foul shots and 3-pointers by Grayson Moyer and Cy Vandermeer cut the lead to just two just over a minute later.

CSUDH's Nonso Nibo, however, would find his long-range stroke, burying consecutive threes to push the Toros' lead to eight at 35-27 as they eventually settled for a 39-33 lead entering the break.

Unlike last night that saw the Toros misfire on 75% of their shots from the field in the second half, CSUDH connected early and often tonight, pushing its lead again to double figures at 55-44 with seven minutes elapsed in the period.  The Lumberjacks, however, responded with a 17-7 run over the next five and a half minutes to cut the lead to 62-61, with an Ernie Spada three bringing HSU to within striking distance.

After a Jamaal Barnes three gave CSUDH breathing room at 65-61, Spada again connected for a three, and a Vandermeer gimme in the paint at 4:23 gave the 'Jacks their first lead of the game.  A Jerrell Smith lay-up stopped HSU's run and put CSUDH up one, but a Grayson Moyer lay-up, an old-fashioned 3-point play by Peal and two Spada foul shots gave HSU its largest lead of the night at 73-67 with just 58 ticks left, all but sealing the Toros' fate.

CSUDH refused to go away quietly as a Yearby bucket and 3-pointer by Jonathan Toliver brought CSUDH to within one at 73-72 with 23 seconds left in the game, but after Will Sheufelt connected on two foul shots to bring the lead back to three, Moyer provided the game's defensive play of the game.

Down three, the Toros swung the ball to Toliver behind the arc with under 10 seconds left, but his game-tying attempt was blocked from behind by Moyer into the hands of Vandermeer, forcing the Toros to foul Spada, who accounted for the game's final two points in HSU's 77-72 win.

Toliver led the Toros with 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field, while Yearby added 10 in the loss.  HSU's Peal led all scorers with 17 points as four 'Jacks racked up double-figure scoring totals, while Peal's seven boards helped the visitors to a key 33-26 rebounding edge, with Moyer chipping in five total, including four on the offensive end.  HSU also benefited from the charity stripe, converting 29 makes to just 10 for the Toros.

The Toros travel to The Master's College on Tuesday before returning home to face Grand Canyon on Saturday, December 8, in their penultimate home contest of the 2007 calendar year.
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