ROCKLIN, Calif. – The Jessup University men's basketball team rallied from 13 points down in the closing minutes but came up just short, falling 77-74 to Stanislaus State on Friday at Warrior Arena in the CCAA/PacWest Conference Crossover.
Tom Parsons posted a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds, and
Curro Segura added 14 points off the bench for the Warriors (1-1).
Jessup got off to a good start, building a 9-6 lead early and moving back in front 15-14 on a Parsons layup midway through the first half. Stan State took control late in the period, however, and led 38-32 at the break. Jessup shot 14-of-28 (50 percent) in the first half and outscored Stan State 22-16 in the paint, with Parsons and
Aleksandar Mitrovic doing much of the work inside.
The Warriors cut into the deficit in the second half, using a 7-0 run to get within four, but Stan State pushed its lead to 13 with just under four minutes to play. That is when Jessup made its push, closing the game on a 16-6 surge behind baskets from Segura,
Amarlie Wilkinson, Parsons and
Cayden McDaniel, plus two free throws from
Wyatt Studer that made it 76-74 with 13 seconds left. After Stan State hit one of two at the line to make it a three-point game, Segura's three-point attempt was blocked, and Jessup grabbed the offensive rebound and got two more looks from deep at the buzzer, but neither fell.
Jessup's strength was inside. The Warriors scored 50 points in the paint to Stan State's 30, hit 14 of 16 fast-break chances for 22 points, and won the rebounding battle 46-41, with 14 offensive boards leading to 14 second-chance points. Jessup shot 30-of-64 (46.9 percent), including 28-of-40 (70 percent) on two-point attempts, but went just 2-of-24 from three-point range and 12-of-22 at the free-throw line, while Stan State made 26 of 33 at the line. Mitrovic finished with 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting, Wilkinson had nine points, six rebounds and four assists, McDaniel added 11 points, and
Murphy Rodgers hit a big three off the bench to finish with five.
Jessup stays home for the second day of the CCAA/PacWest Challenge, hosting CSU East Bay on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. at Warrior Arena. East Bay was unbeaten and ranked No. 2 nationally when it faced Cal Poly Humboldt in last season's NCAA Tournament.
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About Jessup University Athletics 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).
