HAYWARD, Calif. — Junior forward Zafir Williams scored a game-high 27 points with five rebounds and three steals to lift the Cal State East Bay men's basketball team to a home victory over Humboldt State, 81-71, Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Gym.

CSUEB (9-3, 5-1 CCAA) has now won four-consecutive games and five of its last six, as the Pioneers stand all alone in first place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) standings.

Williams shot 11-for-15 from the field on Saturday, while junior forward Josh Dhatt scored 18 points off the bench on 8-of-12 shooting. Junior guard Nai Carlisle added 12 points.

After Humboldt State (6-5, 2-4) jumped out to an early seven-point lead, Cal State East Bay responded with a 21-6 run capped off by a Williams' 3-pointer to make it 25-17 with 6:40 remaining in the first half.

The Pioneers took a 38-29 into halftime and led by as many as 16 in the second half. Humboldt State pulled within five with just over a minute left to play, but late free throws by sophomore guard Jesse Galloway and senior forward Ant Navarrete helped seal the victory.

Cal State East Bay returns to action next Sunday, Dec. 22, as it closes out the 2019 calendar year with a home contest against Stanislaus State beginning at 3 p.m.