Phoenix, Ariz. – The Warrior men's basketball team (7-4) traveled to Phoenix Arizona before the holidays to participate in the Gilbert-Chandler Classic hosted by Great Falls University. In the first round they played Yellowstone Christian College (2-16) on the neutral court and soundly defeated them 88-75.
The Warriors came out of the gates slightly sluggish on Friday, a trend for the men's team, especially noticeable on their road trips this year. The Centurions of Yellowstone took advantage and grabbed the first jump in the game, opening play with a 7-0 run. The Warriors quickly corrected course with a 13-2 run of their own in the opening quarter of play.
The first half from then on would be a duel between the two teams, with Jessup looking for an edge that would allow them to pull away and Yellowstone fighting fiercely to keep the game close. The Centurions were the more successful for the majority of the half, even taking the lead back from the Warriors with 2:33 remaining. That gave the Warriors the motivation they needed to close the first half successfully with a 10-0 run in the final minutes, grasping a nine point advantage heading into the locker room.
While Yellowstone didn't fold in the second half the Warriors maintained control over the pace and play of the game for the remainder of play, seeing a lead as big as 20 points and successfully parrying Yellowstone Christian's multiple attempts to mount a comeback.
Especially effective in staving off their opponents was Jessup's dominance on the glass, outrebounding Yellowstone by 31 boards and grabbing 25 offensive rebounds. Andre Smith (San Diego, CA) led the team in rebounds with 13, putting many right back into the bucket to close a double-double with 18 points. Fellow senior Desmond Floyd (Gilbert, AZ) also pulled down 11 rebounds and posted 8 points. Corey Clement (Las Vegas, NV) had a great day offensively with 18 points, nailing all six of his free throw attempts.
The Warriors will play one more game in Arizona before breaking for Christmas, facing off with Montana Tech Saturday at 1:00 p.m. PST in Phoenix. Jessup returns home on January 14 to face off with conference opponent Biola Univeristy.
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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), @JessupAthletics (Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat).
