Despite losses, Jessup men turning in more 'complete' games

Playing its fifth NCAA Division I opponent in as many tries, the William Jessup University men's basketball team continued its quest to improve with each exhibition game. Monday night, the Warriors traveled to the University of Nevada-Reno to take on the Wolfpack hoping to avoid their fifth straight loss. Despite a competitive first half which saw Jessup carry only a nine-point deficit into the locker room, Nevada eventually pulled away in the second half for an 86-64 victory. Nevada scored the first nine points, but Jessup rallied for a 12-3 run to knot the score at 12 with the aid of back-to-back 3-pointers by returning senior Erik Kinnebrew. The Warriors kept it close in the final minutes of the first half, cutting the deficit to four after junior Jayden DeJoseph found fellow junior Jaylen Johnson for a triple at the 2:08 mark. With Nevada leading 41-32 at halftime, the Warriors remained as close as 12 points with 10 minutes to play in the game before the Wolfpack went on a 17-6 run over the next five minutes. Head coach Lance Von Vogt said in Jessup Athletics' game recap that Monday's outing was the "most complete game" the Warriors have played this season. The Warriors outrebounded Nevada 38-37. DeJoseph and freshman Myles Corey each scored 14 points while junior Tim Strijaous, an Antelope grad, posted 12 points with four rebounds. In his first start of the season, junior Matthew Schmidt scored six points and grabbed eight rebounds. Shooting woes haunt Warriors at UC Davis Early foul trouble and turnovers hurt the Warriors in the first half of the 95-62 loss at UC Davis last Friday. Johnson connected on two of his seven points to make it a 10-point game at the 11:27 mark of the second half, but the deficit ballooned from there, as Davis turned in a 33-point win. Davis outmatched Jessup in fast-break points (25-11), points off turnovers (29-10), field-goal shooting (57.9%-43.6%), free-throw shooting (92%-52.9%) and 3-point shooting (42.9%-23.8%). Davis had five players in double digits. Jessup struggled from long range, hitting just 5 of 21 shots from outside against Davis. Corey scored 17 points on 7 of 10 shots and had four assists and three steals to lead the Warriors in scoring for the third time in five contests. DeJoseph had 14 points and four rebounds, Strijaous scored four points with four rebounds and four assists, and senior Tarren Storey-Way had seven points with five boards. Up next for the Warriors is a Wednesday matchup at California Baptist University.