SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- Facing a 49-30 halftime deficit, the Golden Eagles (10-4) opened the second half on a 14-2 run and eventually pulled ahead, 63-62, but late triples from No. 2 Campbellsville helped the Tigers escape JBUs upset bid, 75-67, this afternoon in the final day of the Philander Smith (Ark.) Classic.
Senior Max Hopfgartner led the way for John Brown with a game-best 22 points, his highest output since the season opener, on a career-high 22 shot attempts. He sank nine, including a trio from behind the arc, while grabbing six rebounds. Junior Griffin Brady notched his second-consecutive double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, but junior DJ Feitl, the Golden Eagles leading scorer, was limited to a season-low eight points on 2-of-9 shooting in the loss.
In JBUs largest comeback bid of the season, the visitors finished the first half in a 19-point hole, highlighted by a game-high 22 point deficit built by the Tigers at the 5:43 mark of the first half. John Brown struggled from the field in the first stanza, knocking down just 31.7 percent of its shots (13-of-41) while CU managed an impressive 54.3 percent mark (19-of-35). Campbellsvilles 8-of-15 mark from long range in the first half (53.3 percent) helped build the large margin as the Golden Eagles could only convert on 2-of-13 chances behind the arc (15.4 percent).
The Tigers (15-1) opened the game on a 15-3 run over the first 5:42 of the contest as the Golden Eagles kicked off the game 1-of-9 from the field. Feitl knocked in John Browns first bucket at the 15:34 mark, but field goals from Hopfgartner and sophomore Zach English would be the only two JBU baskets over the next 4:49 span as the Tigers began to build its lead, 19-7.
The three-point party then began for Campbellsville . Elliot Young sunk three triples over the remainder of the half, spurring the Tigers to seven triples of its 11 remaining field goals of the half, including a run of four-consecutive treys. The hot shooting by the nations top-ranked three-point producing team offset Griffins impressive and-one conversion with 4:15 remaining in the first half. JBU attempted to stay in the game as Hopfgartner nailed a triple and teamed up with Brady for back-to-back buckets with just under 1:30 to play in the stanza. CU responded with a trey with 35 seconds left in the half followed by a DVon Campbell field goal with four ticks remaining.
The Tigers would cool off in the second half, however, shooting just 9-of-29 from the field (31 percent) and could only bury 22.2 percent of its long-range attempts (2-of-9). The Golden Eagles returned to its usual form and converted on 41.2 percent of its shots (14-of-34) and sank five triples in the stanza.
Two Brady triples and another bucket jump-started the John Brown rally in the second half as the Blue and Gold defense held the Tigers to one field goal over the first 7:04. After whittling down the margin to seven after a 14-2 run, 51-44, CU held off two more run attempts by JBU.
Finally, at the 8:06 mark, Englishs and-one conversion began a 14-4 run over the next 3:19. Hopfgartner and Feitl connected on consecutive triples and Feitl ended the run with three-straight free throws, handing the Golden Eagles a narrow 63-62 lead with 4:47 remaining. Unfortunately, the Tigers had a final triple needed to keep JBU at bay.
On the ensuing possession after John Brown took the lead for the first time in the game, CUs DVon Campbell knocked down his fourth three-pointer of the contest, returning the lead back to the Tigers, 65-63, a lead it wouldnt relinquish for the remainder of the game. Sophomore Nate Andersons field goal at the 4:44 mark to tie the game at 65 would be the final JBU bucket of the contest. Campbellsville finished the final stretch with a 6-of-9 mark at the free throw line to seal the upset-avoiding victory.
Campbell finished 6-of-14 from the floor, including a 4-of-8 mark from long range, to pace the Tigers with 18 points. Eric Gaines finished with 14 points and eight rebounds while Damontre Harris chipped in with 12 points and seven boards in the win.
The Golden Eagles out-rebounded CU, 43-35, and picked up 17 offensive caroms. JBU committed four more turnovers, 14-10, and the Tiger reserves out-scored the John Brown bench, 19-11.
"Today's game was a tale of two halves," admitted head coach Jason Beschta. "We lacked focus and energy on defense in the first half, while struggling to score. But, in the second half, we played some of our best defense all year. We shared the ball really well and moved well without the ball. While we are not happy with a loss, we are pleased with the direction we went in the second half. We need to come back from break ready to build on that as we enter a tough conference schedule."
The loss sends the Golden Eagles to its third-consecutive setback and JBU now stands at 2-3 against top-25 opposition this season.
John Brown will now rest for the remainder of Christmas break and returns to action on Thursday (Jan. 8) when it picks back up with conference play. The Golden Eagles will kick-off the second semester with four-consecutive road contests, including its first at Mid-America Christian (Okla.). The Blue and Gold will also take a Texas road swing to face No. 18 Texas Wesleyan and Southwestern A.G. (Texas) before returning home to Bill George Arena on Thursday (Jan. 22) to take on Southwestern Christian (Okla.) at 8 p.m.
