FRESNO, Calif. – Jessup faced a challenging road matchup on Tuesday evening, ultimately falling 78-62 to Fresno Pacific University at the Special Events Center. Jessup moves to 4-12 overall on the season and 2-8 in PacWest play. 

Despite a resilient second-half effort and a dominant performance on the glass, the Warriors were unable to overcome an early double-digit deficit established by the Sunbirds in the opening quarters.

Fresno Pacific set the tone early in the contest, using a high-powered offensive start to take a 27-16 lead by the end of the first period. Jessup struggled to keep pace offensively in the second quarter, managing only 11 points, which allowed Fresno Pacific to enter the halftime break with a comfortable 44-27 advantage.

The Warriors showed significant fight coming out of the locker room, outscoring the Sunbirds 19-14 in the third quarter to trim the lead. This comeback effort was fueled by relentless work on the offensive boards, where Jessup finished the game with 23 offensive rebounds leading to 18 second-chance points. 

However, the Sunbirds' efficiency from the free-throw line, where they converted 20-of-24 attempts, and 34 points in the paint proved too much for the Warriors to overcome in the final minutes.

Andheya Aurelio led the scoring for Jessup with 14 points and was perfect from the charity stripe, going 7-for-7 while also leading the defensive effort with four steals. Porter Wood provided a steady presence in the post, finishing with 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds, while Aniah Cross sparked the team off the bench with 12 points and six rebounds. Claudia Jimenez also contributed eight points and five boards in her 23 minutes of action.

Jessup looks to continue their busy week as they return home for a Thursday night contest with the Oaks of Menlo College at 5:30 PM. The action continues with a matinee contest Saturday afternoon. 

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Jessup University is a member of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division II and the PacWest Conference. 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 (Instagram & X).