ROCKLIN, Calif. – Jessup Women's Basketball (4-11, 2-7 PacWest) team found themselves in a back-and-forth defensive battle with Concordia University (8-7, 6-4 PacWest) in a tough loss, 66-78.
The contest began as a defensive grind, with the Warriors holding a slim 16-14 lead after the opening ten minutes. Both teams found their rhythm in the second frame, trading baskets and lead changes throughout the period. By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, the Warriors trailed by two, setting the stage for a high-stakes second half, 33-35.
The difference-maker came in the third quarter, where Concordia outscored Jessup 24-14. Led by Asia Darcuiel, who finished with a game-high 30 points, the Golden Eagles utilized a 70% shooting performance in the third to build a double-digit cushion. While the Warriors continued to battle in the fourth, the gap proved too much to bridge as CUI sealed the victory at the charity stripe, where they finished 24-of-33 on the day.
"I thought we put ourselves in a good position going into the break, but it is hard to recover from 45 points in the second half," said Head Coach Corey Laster. "We are a young team that is still learning how to win, but we have to be more disciplined. We fouled too much and too often today, which allowed them too many opportunities at the free-throw line. We have to commit to playing better defense for a full 40 minutes."
Aurelio was the offensive spark for Jessup, logging 36 minutes and finishing with 20 points. She was lethal from beyond the arc, connecting on 4 of 8 attempts from deep, while adding four assists and three rebounds to her stat line.
Joining her in double figures were Hailey Hoff and Porter Wood, who each contributed 12 points. Wood nearly secured a double-double, leading the Warriors on the glass with nine rebounds. Giselle Dogan orchestrated the offense with five assists while adding eight points off the bench.
Jessup showed depth in the loss, outscoring the Golden Eagles 17-6 in bench points and 17-12 in second-chance opportunities. However, Concordia's ability to convert turnovers into points (24) and their advantage at the free-throw line ultimately tipped the scales.
The loss moves Jessup to 4-11 overall and 2-7 in Pacific West Conference play, while Concordia improves to 8-7 (6-4 PacWest).
The Warriors will look to bounce back as they head out on the road for a midweek PacWest matchup. Jessup is scheduled to travel to Fresno to take on Fresno Pacific University on Tuesday, Jan. 20. Tip-off is set for 5:00 p.m.
Tickets for all upcoming home games at Warrior Arena can be purchased online at jessupathletics.com/tickets.
