ROCKLIN, Calif. – Jessup University men's basketball (9-8, 6-5 PacWest) showcased their resilience at the free-throw line to secure an overtime victory over Menlo College (3-15, 3-9 PacWest) on Thursday night, 72-67.

On a joyous weekday night of basketball, Old Town Pizza stopped by as they sponsored the overtime thriller that Jessup put on. The Warriors saw three players reach double figures as they fended off a late surge from the Oaks to move back above .500 on the season.

"Real gritty win tonight. I thought our group showed a lot of resiliency having some tough finishes earlier in the year and falling short in some overtime games. It was good to have built some confidence in finding a way to win tonight." said head coach Mark Darnall. "Once again, I thought our bench gave us really good minutes and we guarded great as we forced the ball over 25 times. That shows we're being disruptive on the defensive side of the ball."

The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with Jessup taking a slim 33-30 lead into the locker room. The Warriors appeared to be in control midway through the second half, stretching their lead to as many as nine points following a fast-break layup by Lewis with 7:37 remaining.

However, Menlo refused to go quietly. The Oaks utilized a balanced attack, led by Kai Brown's 18 points off the bench, to chip away at the deficit. Menlo's Luke Wieskamp dominated the glass with 12 rebounds to go along with 11 points, helping the visitors force a 61-61 tie at the end of regulation.

In the overtime period, Jessup's poise was the difference. The Warriors outscored Menlo 11-6 in the extra frame, largely thanks to a 6-of-8 performance from the free-throw line. Defensively, Jessup clamped down, holding the Oaks to just 2-of-7 shooting in the final five minutes.

Despite being outrebounded 42-35, Jessup capitalized on Menlo's mistakes, forcing 25 turnovers and converting them into 21 points. The Warriors' bench also contributed, with Curro Segura adding three points and two assists in 18 minutes of action.

For the Warriors, Tom Parsons led the way for Jessup, turning in a clinical performance with a team-high 21 points. Parsons was nearly automatic from the charity stripe, finishing 11-of-14, while also nearly ending the night with a double-double by grabbing nine rebounds.

Joining him in the backcourt, Cayden McDaniel provided a spark with 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including two timely shots from beyond the arc. Varick Lewis and Andre Norris added 12 points apiece, with Norris proving to be a menace on the defensive end with a game-high seven steals.

Jessup will look to build on the momentum this weekend as they remain at home in Warrior Arena for a Saturday afternoon matchup. 

The Warriors continue their homestand this Saturday, Jan. 24, as they host Dominican University of California. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Fans can purchase tickets online at jessupathletics.com/tickets.