ARCATA, Calif. — On a tense Thursday evening at Lumberjack Arena, No. 2 Cal State East Bay stayed perfect with an 88-84 overtime win over Cal Poly Humboldt, extending its remarkable win streak to 23 games and securing a first-round bye in the 2026 CCAA Basketball Tournament. The unbeaten Pioneers delivered again in the clutch, punctuating the night with big plays on both ends to move to 23-0 overall and 17-0 in conference action.
The Pioneers (23-0) built their first meaningful separation late in the first half after a tightly contested opening stretch. With 4:11 remaining, Tyree Campbell powered through contact for a three‑point play that ignited a surge. From there, East Bay rattled off a series of stops and efficient scores, stretching the margin to 13 in the final minute when Joshua Ijeh tipped in a putback for a 51-38 lead. Humboldt countered before the break with three quick points, sending the teams into halftime at 51-41.
The Lumberjacks clawed back methodically after the break, chipping away at the deficit until they grabbed a 63-61 advantage at the 8:02 mark on a Brandon Bento‑Jackson shot from beyond the arc. Jordan Espinoza immediately responded to knot the score again, setting up a gripping, possession‑by‑possession finish. Neither side led by more than four down the stretch. With 1:39 left, Campbell attacked the rim for a go-ahead layup that made it 75-72, but Humboldt converted a free throw and later tied it at 75‑75 when Zaveion Bineyard scored with 30 seconds left. East Bay's final look in regulation rimmed out, pushing the thriller into overtime.
In the extra period, the Pioneers imposed their will early. Campbell drilled a shot from beyond the arc to open overtime, and on the next possession, Ramsey Huff got a steal that turned into a fastbreak finish by Jaayden Bush, quickly making it 80-75. Humboldt refused to fade, repeatedly pulling within a possession, including 86-84 with 25 seconds remaining. But East Bay steadied itself again—this time with Jalen Foy draining two calm free throws with eight seconds left. A final defensive stand and a rebound hauled in by Huff secured the victory and preserved the unbeaten season.
Campbell finished with 17 points, pushing his career total to 980—now just 20 shy of 1,000. He also collected three steals, moving into the program's top 10 all-time. Huff delivered one of the night's most efficient performances with 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting, including three makes from beyond the arc, plus two free throws. Foy and Bush added 13 points apiece, while Amare Campbell and Ijeh scored 10 each. Ijeh grabbed a team‑high nine rebounds, the Pioneers won the battle on the glass 41-37, and they shot 55.2 percent from the floor to Humboldt's 50.0 percent. Foy matched Campbell with three steals of his own.
Head coach Bryan Rooney praised his team's resolve afterward. "Super gritty victory by our group tonight. It seemed we were facing adversity most of the night but the guys refused to give in. I love coaching this team and am very excited to continue our journey together."
Next up, No. 2 Cal State East Bay travels to Chico to face Chico State on Saturday, February 14 at 3 p.m. inside Art Acker Gymnasium. The Pioneers edged the Wildcats 73-71 in their first meeting on January 8.
