SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- Six different players added at least 10 points and the John Brown mens basketball team (1-0) shot 61.2 percent from the floor, routing Barclay (Kan.), 103-52, in the 35th edition of the Toilet Paper Game presented by Charmin on Saturday (Oct. 31) night inside Bill George Arena.
New faces to the Golden Eagles made an impact immediately as freshmen Josh Bowling and Miguel Martinez each added 13 points, along with sophomore Matthew Ledford, while seniors Luke Moyer, Griffin Brady and freshman Marquis Waller contributed 10 points in the victory. Bowling shot a team-best 6-of-8 from the floor while Ledford knocked down 3-of-5 from behind the arc to propel John Brown to 11 triples on 28 chances on the night (39.3 percent). Moyer completed his first double-double as a Golden Eagle with a game-high 11 assists.
Junior Nate Anderson tied a single-game program record with nine blocks as JBU totaled 12 in the game, keeping the Bears (0-2) restless in the paint and shooting at a mere 24.7 percent. The record was previously set by Lisenga Bosunga at Northeastern State (Okla.) on Nov. 30, 1998.
The teams traded a split at the line before the Golden Eagles could claim its first basket of the season, prompting the tradition of the toilet paper toss. Junior Ricky Roberts passed across the top of the arc to Moyer, who drained a jumper from the left arc 55 seconds into the contest.
Once things had finally settled after cleanup, the Golden Eagles went to work. Moyer added five points and Brady added a bucket, sending the hosts on a 10-0 run to break open a 19-5 lead at the 13:38 mark of the first half.
Waller brought the house down at the 11:47 mark when he threw down a fast-break, one-handed jam after collecting a steal. On the prior play, Waller drained a triple. Ledford hit back-to-back long-range buckets nearly a minute apart, forcing the hosts lead to 22, 37-15. Roberts scored six points down the stretch, helping JBU mount a 55-23 halftime lead.
The second half started back very similar to the first when Andersons bucket in the paint spurred back-to-back triples from Ledford and Brady, building a 63-23 advantage. The John Brown defense held the Bears off the board for the first 3:26 of the second half and limited the visitors to just seven points over the first 9:14 of the frame. More newcomers joined the scoring parade midway through the stanza when freshmen Ben Smith, Brandon Joseph and sophomore Austin Fox added buckets, vaulting JBU to a 48-point lead, 78-30.
Despite allowing the Bears to net 12 points over the final 4:08, the Golden Eagles easily ran away with the victory, allowing 13 players to see the court in the teams first contest.
The impressive passing of John Brown culminated in 30 assists on 41 field goals (.731) as Joseph finished second on the team with five helpers off the bench. Nine different players dished out an assists and Waller added another four in his collegiate debut.
Overall, John Brown received 57 points from its reserves.
The Golden Eagles controlled the paint to the tune of 35 points, 61-26, and turned nine offensive rebounds into 12 second-chance points, all while winning the battle of the boards, 53-29. Barclay forced JBU into 17 turnovers, but the hosts manufactured 16 Bears turnovers of its own.
The Golden Eagles move to 34-1 all-time in the Toilet Paper Game series, with its lone loss coming in 2000, a 77-71 setback to Park (Mo.).
John Brown returns to action on Monday (Nov. 2) when it welcomes Arlington Baptist (Texas) at 8 p.m., continuing its season-opening six-game homestand.
