TURLOCK — One 7 1/2-minute stretch made all the difference in Saturday's California Collegiate Athletic Association matchup between the Stanislaus State and Humboldt State men's basketball teams, as the Lumberjacks got out to a big early lead and rode it to a 66-53 win at Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena.
 
HSU (7-2, 1-2 CCAA) used a frantic pace on both ends of the court to go on a 23-2 run starting at the 17:44 mark all the way to the midpoint of the first half. That gave it a commanding 25-4 lead it never looked back from. The Lumberjacks rushed the pace on offense, shooting 52.9% (9 for 17) during the run, including making six of eight shots at one point. And their frenzied full-court press on defense forced five turnovers during the run, three of which immediately led to baskets.
 
Bryce Mitchell led three double-figure scorers for Humboldt State with 19 points. He also had seven rebounds, three blocks, an assist and a steal, making an appearance all over the court throughout the game. Jaden Edwards provided a big double-double with 13 points and 17 rebounds. Amari Green added 12 points and eight boards. Rebounding was a big part of Humboldt State's advantage Saturday, outboarding Stanislaus State (2-6, 0-4 CCAA), 50-32, including 18-8 on the offensive end.
 
The Warriors were led by 14 points off the bench from Jeremiah Jones. He went 6 for 8 from the floor and chipped in three rebounds. Benno Zecic narrowly missed a double-double with 12 points and nine boards to go with three assists and a steal. Tony Singleton's five steals were the most by a Warrior in game since Luis Salgado also had five against Humboldt State on Feb. 22, 2020.
 
Outside of those decisive 7 1/2 minutes, Stanislaus State (2-6, 0-4 CCAA) outplayed Humboldt State. The Warriors outscored them, 49-41, over the final 30 minutes of the game. Stan State outshot the Lumberjacks, 42.9% to 30.6%, outside of the HSU run. Even after Humboldt State scored seven straight points in the second half to push its lead back to 21, Stanislaus State responded by pulling to within 14 on three occasions, even getting to within 11 on a Tony Singleton 3-pointer with just under two minutes left.
 
The Warriors continue CCAA play on Saturday when they host Sonoma State as part of a doubleheader with the women. They host their final home game before the holiday break on Dec. 20, a non-conference affair versus Holy Names. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links at WarriorAthletics.com.