ROCKLIN, Calif. – The outcome of the game hung briefly on the rim but just refused to go in as the Cougars dropped a heartbreaker at Jessup, 81-79 Saturday evening.
How It Happened: The offense got off to a quick start, as the Cougars found themselves up 12-6 barely four minutes into the game. But the Warriors responded with a 15-3 run of their own and the Cougars found themselves chasing the game for the rest of the half. Jessup would lead by as many as eight in the first half, and though the Cougars briefly regained the lead, Jessup would score the final two baskets of the half to regain a narrow 39-38 edge going into the locker rooms.
Jessup would regain a seven-point edge early in the second, but the Cougars chipped away at the deficit, with DM Sanders, EJ Bryson, and Shad Thomas combining for a 9-2 run to level the game at 51-51. After a couple Jessup baskets, the team again went on a run, taking the lead on a Parker Christensen 3-point play. And when Thomas ended the run with a pair of free throws with just over seven minutes to play, the Cougars had a 67-59 lead. Unfortunately, the Warriors had a run of their own left to play, tying the game with just over two minutes remaining, then taking a five point lead and forcing the Cougars to foul.
The closing sequence saw Jessup take an 81-76 lead with 15 seconds to play. The Cougars raced into the frontcourt and Caleb Oden buried a three from the wing to cut the lead to two with six seconds to play. The Warriors' inbounds pass sailed to an empty spot near midcourt, where Shant Chenorhavorian corralled it and got it right back to Oden, who took his second three in a row from the left wing, only to see this attempt bounce off the back iron as time expired.
By the Numbers: Thomas once again had a monster game inside, finishing with 21 points and 19 rebounds. Joining him on 21 points was Sanders, while Christensen (14) and Bryson (11) also finished in double figures. The Cougars kept themselves in the game with their best outing at the charity stripe this season, making 16 out of 17 free throws as a team. The Cougars and Warriors have split their four meetings as PacWest Conference foes, with Azusa Pacific leading the all-time series by a 4-2 margin.
Up Next: Azusa Pacific (6-14, 4-11 PacWest) will wrap up this two-game road trip on Monday with a visit to Dominican. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
