SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Jessup's men's basketball team faced its second NCAA Division-I opponent in eleven days as the Warriors made the short trip to the capital city to face the Sacramento State Hornets. The Hornets pulled ahead early and stayed in control, winning the game 89-59.
 
"First of all, we have to give credit to Sac State for inviting us here to play. What a great opportunity for our guys, and they were ready," said head coach Lance Von Vogt. "My philosophy has always been we'll play anybody, anywhere, anytime. And because we want every competition to come our way, and we want to be able to see where we really stand."
 
Jessup had offensive struggles right out of the gate, missing its first nineteen shots and falling into a double-digit hole. Myles Corey scored the Warriors' first points of the game, sinking two free throws with 15:09 left in the first half.
 
Sacramento State missed its first two shots of the game but made six straight and ten of its next fourteen to jump out to an early double-digit lead. The Hornets were on fire from deep, shooting 8-for-13 in the first half. 
 
The Hornets opened the game on a 30-2 run where they were 11-of-19 from the field. The Warrior offense picked up late in the first, outscoring Sacramento State 19-18 in the final ten minutes of the half. Jessup was 8-for-16 from the floor during that time.
 
Defensively, the Warriors were causing problems for the Hornets in the post. Jessup had five blocks in the first half and forced nine turnovers. Sacramento State held a 48-19 lead after the first frame. Tim Strijaous led the Warriors with six points and six rebounds. Bryce Fowler led Sac State with fifteen. 
 
"After the first half, we collected it, and we talked about grit. That's what we're trying to do, which is bouncing back and playing through adversity. On what's not your best night when you're playing against an opponent that is having their best night, and today, that was our opportunity," Von Vogt added.
 
The Hornets came out just as hot in the second half, opening up on a 15-5 run and extending the lead to 63-24. Jessup wouldn't go quietly, as the two teams were even in scoring for most of the second half. Late in the game, the Warriors had a 10-0 run where they forced four Hornet turnovers over a three-minute span. The Warriors showed improvement and were only outscored 41-40 in the second half.
 
Frederick Lewis made his collegiate debut and had an impressive outing with seven points and two rebounds in fourteen minutes played. Corey led the Warriors in scoring and assists with 14 and three, Strijaous led in rebounds with seven.
 
"I thought (Lewis) did great. You know, he had a good crowd out there of people that were fans of his. He played at Capital Christian, just a stone's throw from this gym right here. I know it was a big moment for him." added Von Vogt.
 
Jessup improved significantly on the offensive end in the second, shooting 14 for 29 from the field and 5-for-10 from behind the arc. The Warriors also found their way to the free-throw line more, shooting 7-of-11 from the charity stripe.
 
Jessup will hit the road this weekend for the Oregon Tech Classic, where the Warriors will face Southern Oregon and No.13 Oregon Tech. After that, they head to Vallejo to play California Maritime Academy before opening up GSAC play against (RV) Vanguard and Life Pacific. The Warriors return home on Nov. 23 for a rematch with Cal Maritime.
   
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).