HONOLULU, Hawaii - The Warriors wound down their final day in the 808 state with a conference matchup against the Sharks of HPU. The Warriors strengthened their push for a post-season berth with a crucial 85-77 PacWest victory over Hawaii Pacific.
The Warriors currently sit in seventh place in PacWest standings with a record of 14-12 overall and 11-9 in conference play. The top six teams go to the conference tournament.
Head coach Mark Darnall shared positive comments on his team's performance: "I'm really proud of our response tonight. The guys really stepped up with our backs against the wall in this tight conference race; they showed up and did it with their defense. We were able to carry that first step into the second half and extend our lead—something we struggled with against Chaminade—so I'm proud of the group and how they handled the run."
The contest was tightly fought throughout the first half, featuring three ties and two lead changes before Jessup took a 34-25 advantage into the locker room. The offensive pace accelerated in the second period as Hawaii Pacific outscored Jessup 52-51, but the Warriors' early lead and consistent scoring allowed them to stay ahead.
Varick Lewis and Wyatt Studer led the scoring for the Warriors, each contributing 14 points. Studer was especially impactful from long range, hitting 4-of-6 three-pointers, and he dominated defensively with a game-high four blocks.
Aleksandar Mitrovic added 12 points, while Tom Parsons provided 11 points off the bench. Andre Norris anchored the team's effort with a near triple-double, recording 10 points and 8 rebounds while facilitating the offense with a game-high 8 assists.
Darnall continued, "We always responded. Dre was huge tonight—a triple-double type of stat line with 10 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Wyatt was also big off the bench with 14 points; he hit four threes and had four big-time momentum blocks for us on some great hustle plays. It was a really good group effort. Now we can bring it home for our final two games with a real chance in this conference race."
The Warriors will return to their home court to continue their fight for a spot in the post-season, hosting Vanguard University on February 24th at 7:30 PM.
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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).
