GLENDALE, Ariz. – Coming off a week where the Warriors averaged over 100 PPG, Jessup hit the road on Thursday as they looked to bring their hot shooting to Arizona. Taking on the No. 16 ranked Firestorm of Arizona Christian, Jessup stayed hot as they earned the victory, 91-80.
For the Warriors, now 15-6 under first-year coach
Mark Darnall, they improve their GSAC record to 6-2. Jessup entered the night locked in a three-way tie for first place in the conference, and now they find themselves alone at the top of the standings.
The win is also a milestone moment for the Warriors as it secures Jessup its first win in Glendale since February 2018. The regular season sweep of the Firestorm is Jessup's first since the 2016-17 campaign.
Two Warriors led the scoring attack on Thursday as
Myles Corey and
Xavier Lovelace each dropped 22 points. Corey had the long ball working early as he knocked down four 3-pointers in the first 20 minutes, ending the game 5-for-10 from distance before fouling out.
Lovelace also connected on five triples, as 13 of his 22 points came in the second half. He also pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds, giving him his third double-double of the year.
Jessup battled back from a six-point hole midway through the first half as they took the lead on a pair of
Ja'Maris Blackmon free throws. That first-half lead then grew up to 11 points thanks to a fast break bucket from guard
Ty Artis.
But in typical ACU fashion, the Firestorm did not back down as they regained the lead early in the second half, pushing it to four. A
Nigel McKay triple with 10:41 to go put the Warriors back on top, and the lead would never be relinquished.
Blackmon (14) and Artis (11) ended the game in double-figures, along with
Aydan Janssan, who scored 10 points.
Thursday's have become the Warriors' favorite day of the week, as they improve to 5-0 in Thursday games. The Warriors have just one weekday loss this season as they are 7-1 playing Monday-Friday.
Jessup's Arizona trip continues on Saturday as they are set to visit Surprise for a date with the OUAZ Spirit. OUAZ came into Thursday tied with Jessup at 5-2, but after a loss to Menlo, they now move into second play.
The Warriors won their earlier meeting with OUAZ 66-59 back on January 4. Saturday's game is scheduled for 1 p.m. (PST).
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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).
