SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- In a game that featured an 11-point comeback but an 18-point defeat, the Golden Eagles (6-1) set season lows in multiple offensive categories as No. 4 Benedictine (Kan.) shot 44.8 percent from the field and rode 14 JBU turnovers to a 74-56 win tonight inside Bill George Arena.
In a night where John Brown struggled offensively, the hosts posted season lows in triples (3), three-point shooting (16.7 percent), free throws made (11) and points (56). The Golden Eagles shot just 38.2 percent from the field (21-of-55) and managed just a 3-of-18 effort from behind the arc.
The Ravens (7-1) jetted out to a quick 11-1 lead over the first 4:42 of the contest as JBU started off with three turnovers and an 0-of-8 mark from the field. While maintaining a near-double-digit lead through the majority of the first half, John Brown began a comeback run with 5:01 left in the half. Senior Max Hopfgartners triple jump-started a 13-0 run comprised of scoring from just Hopfgartner and junior DJ Feitl. Feitl sank a layup and converted a pair from the line while Hopfgartners turn-around layup and pair of charity-stripe makes vaulted the Golden Eagles into a brief 28-26 lead. The lead lasted 19 seconds until BCs Jonathan Anaekwe knotted the score on the next possession.
Over the final 1:30 of the half, with the score tied, freshman Matthew Ledfords bucket stood as JBUs only points as Benedictine rallied to finish the stanza on a 7-2 run, including a buzzer-beating layup by John Harris Jr., to take a 35-30 lead into the intermission.
The 90-second Raven rally carried over into the second half which began with a long triple from Jake Schannuth. Feitls feed down low to Ledford at the 17:48 mark brought the deficit back to the lowest of the half, 41-34, but a 9-2 run by the visitors pushed the lead back to 14, 50-36, a hole John Brown couldnt recover from. The lead ballooned to as many as 20 late in the second half as the Ravens shot 50.0 percent from the floor and 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from long range in the second half.
The game was highlighted by Hopfgartner eclipsing the 1,000 point mark in his career when the senior banked in a hook shot at the 6:52 mark of the first half. He finished the game with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor and collected six rebounds and a pair of blocks. Feitl again led the Golden Eagles in scoring with 18 and nearly missed out on the double-double by pulling down nine rebounds and dished out six assists in the loss. Junior Griffin Brady contributed nine points but could only manage a 4-of-16 mark from the floor. JBU received only two points from its reserves as junior Ronalds Elksnis sunk one of three chances on the night to accompany three offensive rebounds and two assists.
Harris Jr. led all scorer with 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor. Anaekwe chipped in with 14 points while Christian Hatterle and Connor Flemming came off the bench to nearly capture a double-double each. Hatterle netted eight points and grabbed nine caroms while Flemming notched nine points and seven boards in the win.
The Golden Eagles will now hit the road for the first time this season. JBU will travel to Kansas City, Mo., to take on Avila (Mo.) on Saturday (Nov. 22) at 4:00 p.m. at the Mabee Fieldhouse.
