KLAMATH FALLS, Ore – Coming off a loss last night against host school Oregon Tech, the Warriors took the court once again in the Midland Empire Classic on Saturday as they faced off against Southern Oregon University. Looking to avoid their first stretch of back-to-back losses this season, the Warriors got off to a hot start as they pushed their way to a 74-64 victory.
"I really liked seeing the guys respond to last night's loss with a terrific team win tonight over a strong SOU squad," head coach Lance Von Vogt said.
Junior Brennan Rakoz (Toledo, WA) had some extra motivation to play well Saturday, as he is in his first season with the Warriors after transferring to Jessup from Southern Oregon. Against his former team, Rakoz put on his best effort of the year, scoring a team high 17 points while bringing down 10 rebounds for the double-double.
Coach Von Vogt commented that, "Brennan played fantastic and was fearless attacking the rim as well as on the glass."
The Warriors started Saturday red hot, opening the game on a 10-0 run before the Raiders finally put their first point on the board just under five-minutes into the game. Jessup saw their biggest lead of the day, 12 points, come with just over ten-minutes remaining in the first half when senior Chris Murry (Fremont, CA) drained a 3-pointer.
At the half, Jessup entered the locker room with a comfortable 36-29 advantage. That level of comfort quickly slipped away, as the Raiders chipped away at the deficit in the second half, trimming Jessup's lead to as little as three points with eleven minutes left to go.
Again, a 3-pointer by Murry came at a crucial time, ending the Southern Oregon run and pushing Jessup's lead back to six. Jessup pushed the lead up to nine with just over five minutes to go, and would then proceed to trade shot-for-shot with the Raiders, keeping a comfortable lead intact.
Southern Oregon proceeded to trim the lead to four in the final stretches, but with time not on their side the Raiders were forced to start fouling, sending the Warriors to the line where they shot 72-percent, allowing Jessup to push the lead back to double-digits and secure the victory.
Murry closed the day with 8 points, connecting just twice from three-point range. Freshman Brandon Lindsey (Tyrone, GA) turned in 12 points towards his team's efforts, shooting 5-of-9 from the field.
Jessup will get back on the court on Tuesday as they travel to Merced for a matchup against the UC Merced Bobcats at 7:30 p.m. The Warriors will finally return home to Warrior Arena after the Thanksgiving holiday, when they play host to the California Maritime Academy on November 29.
"We have a short turnaround before we travel to play UC Merced," Von Vogt concluded, "so rest, hydration and nutrition will be key as we prepare for the Bobcats."
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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).
