Toros Can’t Get Over Hump in 70-62 Loss to No. 11 Humboldt State Men
February 9, 2007

Complete Box Score

Carson, CA -- Eleventh-ranked Humboldt State used a dominant first half in which they outscored the Toros by 15 and shot 68.2% from the field, and survived a furious Toro rally that saw CSUDH cut the lead to one on two occasions to take a hard-fought 70-62 win Friday night at the Torodome.

The Toros started strong against the ‘Jacks, taking an 8-7 lead on a Trevon Bryant (Tifton, GA/Compton CC) tip-in at the 16:44 mark. HSU, however, would outscore CSUDH 21-4 over the next 11 minutes to take a commanding 28-12 lead 11 minutes later, before a Kevin Johnson jumper with under a minute left in the first half took HSU into the locker room with a 37-22 cushion. In the opening period, Grayson Moyer connected for 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting as HSU sank 15-of-22 shots from the field.

CSUDH would come out on fire after the break, outscoring the visitors 22-4 over the first eight minutes, cutting HSU’s lead to 44-41 on the second of two Carlos Rivers (Long Beach, CA/LA Valley College) foul shots. After a foul shot by Carlos Corral and a tip-in by Moyer, the Toros’ Bryant answered with two free throws, and Shamont Brown (Jamaica, NY/Riverside CC) followed suit a minute later, trimming the lead to just two.

A foul shot by Jamaal Barnes (Compton, CA/Compton JC) at the 9:11 mark cut the lead to just one, and a Brown jumper did the same 28 seconds later. However, a Will Sheufelt trey stopped CSUDH’s momentum, and spurred a 5-0 ‘Jack run that once again gave them breathing room. The Toros would mount one last charge on a Brown bucket at 4:33 to narrow the gap to 60-57, but that would be as close as CSUDH would get as crisp passing and clutch foul shooting by the Lumberjacks would equal a 70-62 win.

Bryant paced the way for CSUDH with 13 points , 6 rebounds and 3 blocks, the latter bringing him to within 14 of the Toros’ all-time record for blocks in a career, while Mike Steed (Antelope, CA/Center HS) and Brown each tallied 12 in the loss. For the visitors, Moyer drained a game-high 22 points, and was bolstered by Johnson’s 12, and 10 apiece by Sheufelt and Devin Peal.

The hot-shooting ‘Jacks torched the nets to the tune of 54.3% from the field, draining 15-of-17 from the line in the win. Conversely, CSUDH shot 42.3% and hit just 14-of-22 from the foul line (63.6%).

The Toros continue their tough home stand tomorrow as defending CCAA Champion Sonoma State pays Carson a visit, with first tip scheduled for 7:30 pm in the Torodome.