ROCKLIN, Calif. – A member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame was in the house Friday night as Jessup took the court against the Lincoln Oaklanders. After a first half that saw Jessup trailing on the scoreboard, the Warriors found a new gear in the final 20 minutes to secure an 84-76 victory.
Friday was the first-ever meeting between Jessup and Lincoln in men's basketball. The Oaklanders are led by nine-time NBA All-Star and NBA Finals champion Gary Payton.
Payton, whose defensive excellence earned him the nickname 'The Glove', had his team ready to play tight defense on the Warriors as they forced Jessup to commit 19 turnovers. Lincoln converted those into 14 points.
But an area in which the Warriors dominated was on the glass, as Jessup outrebounded the Oaklanders 46-32. Leading the Jessup rebounding effort was the returning
Xavier Lovelace, as he pulled down 15 boards in his first game of the season.
Lovelace sat down with Dave Rosenthal after the game and noted that he expected to have that kind of night. "I knew that I was gonna be hungry, and I was excited to be back. I knew my legs were fresh. So, all I was focused on, even if my shot didn't go in, I was gonna work hard on the defensive end and go grab a rebound."
The senior wing added five points during his 24 minutes of game time.
Lovelace also commented on Lincoln's defense, adding, "We knew they were going to be gritty. We knew they were going to be hard, and they were gonna play that way. We just had to execute, and we tried our best."
Leading the scoring once again was the reigning GSAC Player of the Week,
Ty Artis. Artis dropped 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting and added seven boards for the second game in a row.
Myles Corey and
Ja'Maris Blackmon each contributed 20 points.
Aydan Janssan had a big night for the Warriors and played a critical role in Jessup's second-half comeback. The Warriors trailed by five at the break but came out of the locker room hot, thanks in large part to eight straight Janssan points. The Australian native racked up a double-double of 11 points and 10 boards.
Jessup shot 47 percent from the floor, improving the Warriors to 3-4 in games where they shoot under 50 percent. The Warriors keep perfect at 6-0 in games where they eclipse 80 points, and they also move to 3-0 on Fridays.
On the season, the Warriors are now 8-4 and are winners of three consecutive.
Jessup now gets a break, as the team will not play again before Christmas. Lovelace noted that the Warriors are excited to get some rest, but the work will not stop.
"(Coach Darnall) is giving us a little break. But we are allowed in the gym. If we're not, I'm gonna find a gym."
Jessup's next contest is scheduled for December 30 when they visit Simpson. The Warriors will not be back on Horton Court until 2024, when they start GSAC play against OUAZ.
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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 Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: Jessup University Athletics (Facebook) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter & Instagram).
