ARCATA—Many a contest in the long and storied history of the Chico State men's basketball program has deservedly been described as "a game for the ages." You can certainly add Thursday night's Wildcat-Cal Poly Humboldt tilt to that fabled list. A hardwood rivalry that dates back several decades has never seen the type of non-stop offensive that was on display at Lumberjack Arena. The two teams slugged it out like prizefighters the entire evening, with both teams going up and over the century mark. As you might expect from the latest "game for the ages," it took an electrifying overtime period to determine the outcome, with the 'Cats edging the 'Jacks by a final of 116-112.
With the win, Chico State evens its season record at 4-4 and improves to 3-1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Cal Poly Humboldt dropped to 4-5 overall and 3-1 in conference play.
Chico State shot an outstanding 54.2 percent from the field Thursday, with five Wildcats scoring in double figures. Jojo Murphy registered his second 30-point performance in six days, finishing with a career-high 32. Joshua Hamilton put up a personal best 30 points in the win, with Evan Oliver posting his first double-double as a Wildcat with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Justin Vigil had 12 points (all in the second half and overtime) to go along with six rebounds, while Brennan Wheeler hit three 3-pointers and finished with 11.
Cal Poly Humboldt went up 8-5 early in the first half, but the Wildcats used back-to-back 3-pointers by Murphy and Hamilton to fuel a 12-5 run to jump in front 17-13. The Lumberjacks pulled to within 24-23 with 9:58 left in the period, but a stingy 'Cats defense held the usually high-scoring 'Jacks to just seven points over the next six minutes. Meanwhile, Chico State stretched its advantage to double digits courtesy of an Oliver three-point play, a Wheeler trey, and field goals by Murphy and Isaiah Holm, making the score 38-28. Late in the period Trae Taylor dropped in a layup and ripped two straight dunks to push the 'Cats' lead to 14, and after Humboldt whittled the deficit to nine, Murphy hit a jumper as the half ended, giving Chico State a 50-39 halftime lead.
The Wildcats kept the pedal to the metal to open the second half, with Murphy and Wheeler draining back-to-back 3-pointers. With the score 62-50, Hamilton sandwiched a 3-pointer between two layups to push Chico State's lead to 17. But suddenly the shots started falling for Humboldt, and in less than six minutes the Lumberjacks had crept to within four at 78-74.
The 'Cats were able to maintain their lead against the hard-charging 'Jacks—every time Humboldt scored, Chico State answered with a big bucket. It was a three-point game with 8:27 remaining, but baskets by Vigil, Hamilton, and Murphy kept the Lumberjacks at bay. With 2:26 remaining and the score 93-92, Murphy converted a layup and a pair of free throws, and Vigil dropped in a layup to give the Wildcats a seemingly safe 99-92 advantage with 42 seconds left in regulation.
The lead would not last. The Lumberjacks hit back-to-back 3-pointers, and after Oliver hit one of two free throws, a Humboldt layup with 3.3 seconds left to go tied the game at 100-all, sending the game into overtime.
The two teams traded free throws to open the OT period, then after Vigil and Hamilton drained jumpers, Humboldt scored five unanswered points to go up 107-106. Layups by Hamilton and Oliver put the 'Cats back on top, but the Lumberjacks promptly knotted up the contest with a 3-pointer. The game was still tied at 112-112 when a Hamilton layup with three seconds left put the Wildcats on top for good. Humboldt committed a turnover on the inbounds pass, and Miles Daniels calmly iced the epic contest with two free throws to give Chico State the wild 116-112 victory.
Chico State makes its way to Rohnert Park on Saturday, where the Wildcats will go head-to-head with the Seawolves of Sonoma State (3-7, 2-2 CCAA). The afternoon tilt is slated to tip off at 3 p.m.
