ROCKLIN, Calif. – After suffering their first two losses of the season this past weekend in Oregon, the Warriors returned home to play host to Corban University (Oregon) for Jessup's final contest prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. After a rather slow start to the game, and a large deficit to battle back from, the Warriors put on an incredible fourth-quarter run as they clinched a 59-56 victory.
Jessup saw a number of things not go their way to start Tuesday's contest. One of the biggest issues that faced the Warriors was their first half shooting numbers from three-point-range. Jessup fired up nine first half 3-pointers, but saw just one long ball from sophomore Rona Chavez (Clayton, CA) go in.
Another key factor that hurt Jessup was their efficiency inside the paint. The Warriors dominated the rebound category in the first half, splitting 18 offensive rebounds and 18 defensive rebounds to outnumber Corban by 13 boards. However, Jessup time and time again could not connect on easy opportunities in the paint, contributing to a 24-20 Corban lead heading into the half.
The third quarter was a time where the Warriors needed to turn things around and battle back into the game. After scoring a few early baskets, Corban went on a 10-1 run to pull ahead by double digits and eventually take a 44-35 lead into the final quarter. The third quarter has been a struggle for Jessup all season, as they find their lowest offensive efficiency in that frame.
However, the Warriors best offensive efficiency on average is in the fourth quarter, as they entered the game outscoring opponents on average by five points in the final frame. Jessup stepped up those numbers Tuesday as they quickly went on a 12-3 run to tie the game at 47-47.
Jessup did not let up at all down the stretches, connecting on basket-after-basket to keep things close. The key baskets came from freshman Olivia Luu (Riverbank, CA) who hit a late 3-pointer to give Jessup their first lead of the half, and then a strong layup from senior Crystal Sewell (Ophir, CA) with less than a minute left to give the Warriors the lead for good.
Sewell finished the contest leading the way with 19 points and 6 rebounds as she connected on 75-percent (8-for-12) of her shots from the field. The Warriors also saw key contributions from Chavez who finished with 9 points and seniors Diana Corona (Porterville, CA) and Alexandra Rodriguez (Rocklin, CA) who each recorded 8 points and 9 rebounds.
For Corban, the majority of the offense was handled by Jade Lowery who finished with a game high 20 points. Sadie Pilgeram had a big game as well for Corban, knocking down five 3-pointers as she finished with 16 points.
The win ends Jessup's two-game losing streak, and pushes their record up to 5-2 on the season. The schedule will continue after the holiday, as the Warriors will get back into the swing of things on Tuesday, December 1, when they play host to Pacific Union College at 4:30 p.m.
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William Jessup University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). For additional information regarding Jessup Athletics, visit www.jessupathletics.com; visit www.jessup.edu for more information on William Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: William Jessup University Athletics (Facebook), @WJUSports (Twitter), and @JessupAthletics (Instagram, and Snapchat).
