ROCKLIN, Calif. - After back-to-back weekends where Jessup's GSAC opener was postponed at the last minute, the Warriors finally got their conference season underway Friday afternoon. Taking on Life Pacific, Jessup played a dominant 40-minutes en route to a commanding 81-53 victory. 
 
Jessup charged out of the gates Friday to their fastest start of the season. At Life Pacific's first timeout of the game, Jessup held a 13-5 lead. The score then doubled over the next few minutes, with Jessup's lead pushed up to 26-13.
 
"We came out with good energy, and we worked hard to execute," Head Coach Lance Von Vogt said postgame.
 
A dominant performance was showcased on both sides of the court by Jessup in Friday's first half. Through the closing 10-minutes, Jessup embarked on a 27-8 run in which they shot over 50-percent from the floor. 
 
What stole the show in the first 20-minutes was the final 20-seconds. Given the option by Von Vogt to pick whatever play he wanted, freshman Myles Corey made his choice as he slowly dribbled up court, running the clock down before banking in a 3-pointer at the horn.
 
Second half action was no different than that of the first, with Jessup coming out of the locker room with their hot hand still intact, opening to a 15-3 run to pad onto their lead. A key assist in Jessup's efforts was that they played the final 16:45 in the bonus.
 
Life Pacific made their first offensive charge midway through the second half with a 10-0 run, but a duo of trips to the free-throw line and a contested layup by Malik Corey ended the attack, pushing Jessup's lead back over 30.
 
With such a substantial lead, the Warriors were able to get every player in uniform a heavy dosage of playing time. All total, 14 Warriors saw playing time Friday, none receiving less than four minutes of action.
 
"It's great for team unity and chemistry for all the guys to get on the floor," added Von Vogt. "It wasn't just the last minute or two of the game; it was pretty much throughout the second half. We were playing some lineups that we haven't played before."
 
Even with the Warrior Arena empty, there was no lack of noise during Friday's action. Jessup's bench continuously stood and audibly pumped up their team, making up for the lack of spectator attendance. 
 
Von Vogt spoke highly of his bench and the support they offered.
 
"In a year like this where fans aren't allowed in the gym because of COVID, it's critical for you to cheer on your teammates and get that vibe that we're all in this thing together. 
 
"That was the number one thing I told the team in the locker room, that I was proud of the bench. It was nice to have that type of energy."
 
In the scoring column, Jessup saw four players finish in double-figures Friday. Leading the way was junior Malik Corey with 16. Corey's brother, Myles, added 14. Junior Tim Strijaous and senior Tarren Storey-Way added 12 and 11, respectively.
 
With Friday's victory, Jessup improves to 4-2 overall on the season, 1-0 in conference play. Life Pacific, who began their season just last weekend, fall to 0-3 both overall and in conference.
 
Both teams will hit the court tomorrow for the back end of this back-to-back series. Game time is scheduled for noon and can be viewed live online HERE.
   
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).