ROCKLIN, Calif. - Continuing to post a record start to the season, the nationally ranked Warriors took on Master's University in the first round of competition for the duo, proving that no team in the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) is easy to beat. 

Despite a slow start out the gate, the Warriors came back strong to close the first half ahead 37-34, but were unable to do it a second time in the final half as The Master's snap the Warrior's five-game winning streak in a 79-65 defeat.

"You have to give them credit, I thought Master's played terrifically," head coach Lance Von Vogt stated. "Honestly we missed a lot of shots that we normally make, and Master's may have had something to do with it, but I know we are capable of making those shots and we will make them the next chance we have to play."

Down by as much as 12 in the first ten minutes of the contest, the Warriors didn't see it as much of an issue as they chipped away at the lead point-by-point to close the first half on top. 

Back-to-back three's by Chris Murry and Tahron Morrison would lock the two team at 29 points with just under 5 minutes to play in the opening half. But it wasn't until Murry connected on his already fifth three of the night, did the Warriors take the lead for the first time with two minutes left until the break. 

Freshman Brandon Lindsey would close out the half going 1-2 from the line and putting up a last-minute jumper to seal the 37-34 advantage heading to the locker room.

On the opposite end of the floor, the Warriors defended the basket well holding the Mustangs on the arc to 20-percent (2-10), while on the inside the Mustang bigs capitalized in the paint.

"I thought we were really good defensively," Von Vogt said. "Overall we did a pretty good job on the perimeter defense. We knew who their shooters were and we definitely keyed on that. But you have to give credit to guys that scored at the bucket."

The visiting Mustangs continued to challenge the Warriors offensively taking back the lead less than a minute into the second half. Coach Von Vogt would take a timeout to compose the Warriors and spark the last go-ahead basket for the Warriors in the paint by Morrison.

Unable to connect on the offensive end, Jessup struggled to put points on the board motivating Masters to pick up momentum and gain an 11-point lead with just over 12 minutes left in the half.

But it wasn't long before your Warriors answered back on a 7-0 run to cut the lead 59-55 with 8 minutes to play. Both teams would exchange baskets for the next five minutes, as the Warriors made it a two-possession game with three minutes to go in regulation trailing 66-62.
The Mustangs would spark one last time, silencing the Warriors for the next two minutes before Murry livened the crowd with his sixth and final three from downtown with just under a minute to play. 

The Warriors fall to 6-2 in conference, bumping down tied for second place after the Biola Eagles' (7-2) win against Arizona Christian this afternoon.

Coach Von Vogt's comment on the loss, "You make the best of every game whether it is a win or a loss, if you don't, you lose perspective on what you are doing. We are going to evaluate our plays and go back to the drawing board to make improvements and accentuate the areas that we did well."

Jessup will continue conference battles next week on the road for a pair of games in southern California taking on Hope International on Thursday and Vanguard University on Saturday. 

"I believe the guys we have are extremely competitive and they want to give their best every day," Von Vogt confirmed. "We are going to focus on preparing for Hope (International) and our guys will be ready to play; our guys are hungry, as they are every game."

 
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) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat).