ROCKLIN, Calif. – Jessup Women's Basketball (5-12, 3-8 PacWest) team erased a nine-point deficit in the final frame to secure a thrilling victory over Menlo College (7-10, 5-7 PacWest) on Thursday night, 68-64.

Behind a 29-point explosion in the fourth quarter and a dominant performance on the glass from Porter Wood, the Warriors locked down their third conference win of the season in front of an electric home crowd at Warrior Arena.

The victory was fueled by an incredible display of ball security and defensive pressure. Jessup won the turnover battle by a massive margin, committing just four turnovers the entire night compared to Menlo's 22. This +18 turnover differential allowed the Warriors to outscore the Oaks 29-2 in points off turnovers, a statistic that proved to be the difference-maker in a game with 17 lead changes.

The contest was back-and-forth from the jump. After a tight first frame, Hailey Hoff sparked the offense in the second quarter, connecting on a deep triple at the 7:00 mark to take the lead before following it up with a smooth jumper less than a minute later.

Menlo threatened to pull away in the third, extending their lead as Jessup struggled to find a rhythm. However, the defensive intensity of Claudia Jiménez kept the Warriors within striking distance. Jiménez ignited the bench with a steal and a coast-to-coast breakaway layup with 2:06 left in the third, while Laia Palà added a tough finish at the rim to keep the pressure on.

Entering the fourth quarter trailing 48-39, the Warriors flipped the script. Jiménez opened the period with another key steal and layup, followed shortly by Andheya Aurelio, who stripped her defender for a fast-break bucket. Aurelio then found her stroke from distance, burying a clutch three-pointer with 6:24 remaining to pull Jessup closer.

The final five minutes were a masterclass in "clutch." After a Jiménez step-back jumper and a subsequent Warrior three-pointer, Hoff delivered the loudest shot of the night—a game-tying triple with 4:21 on the clock that leveled the score at 56-56.

With the momentum firmly on their side, Wood took over the paint, drawing contact to give Jessup the lead at the 3:59 mark. The defense tightened as Jiménez recorded a massive block at the 3:19 mark to deny a Menlo equalizer.

In the closing minutes, Aurelio played the hero, draining a massive three-ball with less than a minute remaining to put Jessup ahead for good. Hoff then stepped to the charity stripe with 31 seconds left, calmly sinking both free throws to provide the daggers and seal the four-point victory.

Head Coach Corey Laster commented on the night, "It was certainly a needed win for this group." "I thought we were resilient and executed our game plan well."

Jiménez led all scorers with 14 points, adding three steals and three blocks in a standout defensive performance. Hoff finished with 13 points, including three makes from beyond the arc. Aurelio (12 points, 6 assists) and Palà (12 points, 4 steals) were instrumental in the comeback, while Wood anchored the interior with a massive 12-point, 13-rebound double-double.

The Warriors finished the night with 14 steals and forced 22 Menlo turnovers while surrendering a season-low four giveaways. Head Coach Laster said, "Everyday and every game has been a learning experience for this group. They continue to grow. We have led in many games throughout this season but today we put together four solid quarters."

The Warriors will look to carry this momentum forward as they continue PacWest play at home on Saturday, January 22nd. Jessup will take on Dominican with a tip-off scheduled for 1:00 PM.