SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - In what turned out to be a back-and-forth affair, the Jessup women's basketball team used a late push to earn their first-ever GSAC Tournament win 66-61 over fifth-seeded Hope International Thursday afternoon.
Jessup found themselves trailing by five heading into the fourth and outscored the Royals 21-11 in the final 10 minutes as they survive and advance to the semi-finals after star center Miranda Zaragoza went down with an injury early in the game. Coach Kurt Westendorp said he was pleased with the way his team responded when their leading scorer was unavailable.
"When Miranda went out, we had to take a breath and focus on where our strengths were playing with a small line up. We evolved throughout the game and found ways to get great looks on the perimeter."
The game began with both teams trading baskets as neither led by more than four in the opening frame. But at the 2:55 mark, Jessup went on a 6-0 run taking a 14-12 advantage into the second quarter.
In the second frame after Jessup took a four-point lead, HIU responded nicely with a 13-2 run as they grabbed a seven-point advantage with 3:34 left in the half and by the break, HIU was up 34-29.
The third quarter proved to be a wash as both teams scored 16 points apiece as Elizabeth Roark led Jessup with six and JoeLyn Stirton followed with five. The quarter began in Jessup's favor as they went on a 5-0 run to tie things at 34. Later in the quarter, HIU answered with a 6-0 run to grab a five-point lead with 5:30 left which they kept heading into the fourth with the score in HIU's favor 50-45.
The fourth proved to be the difference as Creonah Bryant kicked things off with six points to open the frame for Jessup. Aycee Willis then got into the act as she scored four points in three possessions for the Warriors, and later hit back-to-back free-throws giving Jessup a 59-54 lead.
Then after missing nearly the entire game Zaragoza returned from injury and played six minutes including a game-clinching jumper with 30 seconds left that lifted the Warriors to victory.
Westendorp praised Zaragoza's efforts to come back even though she wasn't 100-percent. "Miranda is such a great teammate. Her toughness to get back on the court was a big boost for us. Just for her teammates to see her fighting through the injury for them elevated everyone's spirits."
Offensively the Warriors were led by Bryant who scored 17 points and had four rebounds. Stirton followed behind her with 13 points, while Willis added 11 and Roark matched her output with 11 points in Zaragoza's place.
The win was the Warriors' first-ever postseason victory as a GSAC member, and the programs first since the 2013-14 season.
The Warriors now advance to the semi-finals tomorrow where they'll face GSAC Tournament host Westmont at 3:30 p.m.
Westendorp is optimistic that his team will meet the challenge of playing the GSAC's regular-season champ. "Going into tomorrow it will be a completely different game than today was. Westmont presents different challenges but I know we have a tough group and we'll find a way to rise and meet them."
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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) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat).
