Warriors Run Away From Riverside Victorious

Riverside, CA — On Tuesday, the Life Pacific men's basketball team (13-14, 4-11 GSAC) traveled to Riverside to face off against the La Sierra Golden Eagles (7-19, 0-15 GSAC) in a late-season conference matchup. Earlier this season, the Warriors won this matchup at home, 78-69, in overtime. With how close that game was, many expected this game to also go down to the wire.

In the first half, it sure seemed like it. The largest lead by either team in the first 20 minutes was 4, and there were 12 lead changes. Neither team could gain a leg up on the other, and the first half ended with the Golden Eagles up 35-34. Both teams shot quite efficiently in the first half, with the Warriors making 46.4% (13/28) of their shots and the Golden Eagles going 50% (16/32) from the field.

When the teams returned from the locker rooms, the score remained very close, with 6 more lead changes. However, a 23-5 run in the second half put LPU up by 17 with just under five minutes left. Despite the Golden Eagles' best efforts, the Warriors kept their distance, won the second half 45-24, and cruised to their fourth conference win of the year. Warriors win, 79-59.

The "How Good" Player of the Game award goes to Kyjuan Cannady. The senior guard stuffed the stat sheet with an efficient 22 points (7/11 FG, 3/5 3FG, 5/8 FT), 5 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal, and a block. His play has kept the Warriors afloat, as this is the 5th time he's scored double digits in his last 7 games. His 22 points ties a season-high of his. Next to him, Jayceon Smith (18pts, 7/10 FG, 7reb, 5ast, 2stl) continued his productive play.

As a team, the Warriors shot 48.3% (28/58) from the field and 30.8% (8/26) from three-point range, outshining the Golden Eagles. The Warriors forced 12 turnovers in this game and scored 19 points off of them. Despite La Sierra having a player that stood at 7'3", LPU was +8 in points in the paint (34-26). Jordan Dollar's 10 points off the bench helped the Warrior offense stay strong when the starters were out, finishing with 18 bench points to the home team's 6.

This win gives the Warriors a chance to finish their season with a .500 record overall. To do that, they must win their next game, against the Arizona Christian Firestorm (20-6, 11-3 GSAC), who rank 7th in the NAIA and are 2nd place in the conference. This will be the final game of the season for the Warriors, and it will be at 2pm on Saturday, 2/21.