Santa Barbara, Calif. – Jessup men's basketball (10-11, 7-8 PacWest) team displayed ultimate resilience Monday night, outlasting Westmont College (12-8, 9-5 PacWest) in a double-overtime thriller at Murchison Gymnasium, 96-95.
In a game that required every bit of the 50 minutes on the clock, the victory was a vital one for the Warriors. The win snapped a three-game losing streak and provided a massive spark following a difficult road stretch. Head Coach Mark Darnall praised his team's mental toughness following the final buzzer.
"I'm really proud of the group's response from two tough losses on the road," said Darnall. "I'm just really proud of our effort and bounce back and response from coming up short the last three games."
The hero of the night was Aleksandar Mitrovic. Despite battling illness leading up to tip-off, Mitrovic anchored the Warriors' interior, recording a massive double-double with 14 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Darnall noted that Mitrovic showed up "big time" for the squad, playing with a level of toughness that proved infectious for the rest of the roster.
Offensively, the Warriors were sparked by explosive performances in the backcourt. Cayden McDaniel was nearly unstoppable, pouring in a team-high 27 points on an efficient 9-of-14 shooting performance. He was joined by Varick Lewis, who proved lethal from beyond the arc by knocking down six triples on his way to a 26-point night. Darnall commented that it was great to see his guards find their offensive rhythm when the team needed it most.
While the scoring totals were high, the game was ultimately decided on the defensive end. Jessup locked in during the most critical moments, securing stops at the end of regulation and the first overtime to keep their hopes alive. Much of that credit went to Andre Norris, who spent the night shadowing Westmont's primary scoring threats and making life difficult for the Warriors' opponents.
"We had two big-time stops before at the end of regulation and in our first overtime," Darnall said. "Andre was big in getting those stops and guarding their best player. Everybody found ways to contribute tonight and I'm just really proud of our effort."
Norris finished with 10 points and four rebounds, while Amarlie Wilkinson also chipped in seven points and two blocks in the winning effort. "Looking forward to get back to our home arena and the challenges ahead of us this weekend," Darnall concluded. The Warriors will now look to carry this momentum back to Rocklin as they prepare for a weekend slate in front of their home fans at Warrior Arena.
Jessup welcomes Fresno Pacific on Thursday, February 5th for a PacWest battle at Warrior Arena. Tipoff will be at 7:30 PM. Fans can purchase tickets online at jessupathletics.com/tickets.
