Box Score
ARCATA – A difficult week of finals ended in the most positive of ways for the Coyotes, who made the long haul to northern California against Humboldt State.

Coach Jeff Oliver's crew made the road trip seem like a business trip with an efficient 89-79 victory over the host Lumberjacks in CCAA men's basketball Saturday night.

Senior guard Kirby Gardner scored a season-high 25 points with five rebounds and four assists to lead four Coyotes in double figures. All-CCAA guard Lacy Haddock had 12 points with three assists, while Nevada transfer Jordan Burris saw action in his first game as a Coyote. The Bakersfield native was solid in his debut with 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 20 minutes of play.

Senior post Andrew Young added 10 points and two rebounds before fouling out.

CSUSB broke through the 50-percent mark from the field for the first time this season, hitting 54.4 percent (31 of 57) on the strength of an 18-for-27 effort in the second half.

Both teams were evenly matched in the first half with the Coyotes holding a 37-36 lead at halftime.

But the second half was all about the Coyotes as Gardner (4-4), Haddock (3-3) and Young (3-3) did not miss a shot in the final half.

Leading 45-39 with 16:43 left in the game, the Coyotes hit nine straight shots and pulled ahead 67-47 on Zeke DeBlase's 3-pointer with 9:26 left.

Humboldt State rallied down the stretch, pulling to within six points with 45 seconds, but the double-digit lead the Coyotes held for much of the final 20 minutes was enough to finish off the Jacks.

Allan Guei led HSU with 22 and David Parker had 21.

CSUSB returns to the court Dec. 16 at UC San Diego.