Portland, Ore. | Warner Pacific defeated the Mariners of Vancouver Island University 87-70 in a Saturday afternoon match-up. The Knights start the 2019-20 season 2-0 heading into a 4 week, 11-game road trip.
 
The Knights' offense looked nice today as they had three players with double-doubles; Sr. Kendall Watson led the Knights with 19 points and notched the double-double with 10 rebounds, JD Esters had another solid game with 15 points and 10 assists, and Eskari Carter had 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Knights. Jalen Ballard scored 11 points off the bench.
 
Warner Pacific is fast, and they push the ball on the break every chance they get, Esters got four of his 10 assists on full-court passes up to a sprinting Knight.
 
Much like last night, the Knights went on a 7-0 run to start the game, but VIU quickly adjusted their defense and stopped the run, going on an 8-0 run themselves to take their first lead in 45 minutes of play. The lead was exchanged back and forth in the first half. VIU had their largest lead at 3 with 10 minutes to go in the half before the Knights were finally getting shots to fall, and from that point on, they maintained the lead. Heading into overtime, WPU led by 11.
 
The Mariners came out hot in the second half of play, going 5-5 from the field and coming within 9 of the Knights.
 
The game closed out with the Knights' largest lead of the day at 17.
 
Warner Pacific will head to Corvallis on Tuesday to play an exhibition match against OSU at Gill Coliseum. The game is set for 7pm.