LA MIRADA, Calif. – Jessup men's basketball (9-11, 6-8 PacWest) team competed in a nail-biting finish at Biola (8-11, 4-9 PacWest) in a thrilling down to the wire PacWest meeting, 72-74. 

In a back-and-forth PacWest thriller that saw five lead changes and four ties, the Warriors fell to the Eagles for their second highly contested matchup of the year. Despite a dominant second-half performance in the paint and a spark from the bench, the Warriors couldn't overcome a sharp-shooting Eagles squad that connected on 11 three-pointers.

The Eagles came out firing in the first half, building an early double-digit lead fueled by Tyus Parrish-Tillman, who finished with a game-high 29 points. Jessup trailed by as many as 14 in the opening frame but used a late surge to cut the deficit to 39-35 heading into the locker room. The second half saw the Warriors lean heavily on their interior game, outscoring Biola 26-12 in the paint during the final 20 minutes. Tom Parsons proved to be a vital spark off the bench, leading Jessup with 20 points and eight rebounds, while Cayden McDaniel added 18 points and Andre Norris contributed 11 points alongside six assists and four steals.

Jessup clawed back to take the lead midway through the second half, but Biola's efficiency from beyond the arc kept them in control as the Eagles shot 45.5% from deep in the final period. In the closing minutes, McDaniel buried a pair of clutch free throws to keep Jessup within striking distance, but a final look for the Warriors in the closing seconds wouldn't fall, allowing Biola to escape with the win. The Warriors' bench was a major factor, outscoring Biola's reserves 26-5, but the Eagles' 50.9% field goal percentage ultimately proved to be the difference.

The Warriors will look to bounce back quickly as they continue their road trip. Jessup travels to Santa Barbara on Monday, Feb. 2, for a 7:30 PM tip-off against Westmont College.