SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- No. 14 and top-seeded Science & Arts (Okla.) opened the second quarter with a 17-1 run to take a 30-21 lead and seized complete control en route to a 72-62 win over the fifth-seeded John Brown University women's basketball team in the Sooner Athletic tournament semifinals on Friday afternoon (March 2) inside Bill George Arena.
For the second-straight season, the Drovers end John Brown's SAC tournament dreams in Siloam Springs, as USAO posted a 67-62 win inside BGA in the SAC quarterfinals.
The USAO (28-4) defense set the tone early, forcing the Golden Eagles into turnovers on their first four possession, but John Brown (19-12) didn't allow the turnovers to turn into points and after three minutes, the game was tied at 4-4.
The two teams traded baskets, but JBU took its first lead, 9-8, on a three-pointer from junior Bailey Cameron with 4:53 to play in the quarter. The Golden Eagles kept the pressure on for the remainder of the first and capped the quarter on deep buzzer-beater from upstart sophomore Ally Teague to take a 20-13 advantage into the second.
The Drovers went into the paint to start the second quarter, and it paid dividends, but its defense was just as efficient. The visitors held John Brown scoreless for nearly seven minutes before senior Kimmy Deines went 1-of-2 from the line to break up the run.
Science and Arts kept the pressure on and built a 37-26 lead at the break.
"When we've struggled, we've usually had one bad quarter and too many turnovers, and that was the story tonight," head coach Jeff Soderquist said. "We had a good first quarter, and they just pounded it in the paint in the second quarter. Defensively they held us to just six points in the second, and that took us out of it. Our offense didn't sustain the momentum that we had in the first. We had some opportunities in the second half, but we missed some shots."
The SAC regular season co-champions extended their lead to 55-39 at the end of the third quarter and added a pair of free throws early in the fourth for their largest lead at 57-39, but the Golden Eagles did not go away quietly.
John Brown chipped away at the deficit and eventually cut the USAO lead to seven, 63-56, on a three-pointer from freshman Taylor Fergen with 2:28 to play. The Drovers responded with a 4-0 run to push the lead back to double digits and eliminated a JBU counter the rest of the way to pick up the 10-point win.
What You Need to Know
» The Golden Eagles were seeking its second-ever appearance in the SAC tournament title game.
» Junior Baily Cameron scored 15 of her game-high 24 points in the second half, hitting 6-of-8 from the floor.
» USAO's Dierra Ely, the SAC's Defensive Player of the Year, filled the stat sheet to the tune of 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals.
» JBU was out-muscled in the paint to tune of 46-22 as the Drovers racked up 11 fast-break points in transition. |
Cameron led the Golden Eagles with 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field. Deines added 12 points and seven rebounds while Teague scored 10 and pulled down seven boards.
JBU was 21-of-48 (43.8 percent) from the field, and the best three-point shooting team in the nation finished just 7-of-23 (30.4 percent) from behind the arc. They registered 16 assists but committed 22 turnovers.
The Drovers completed a 28-of-57 (49.1 percent) effort from the field and need just 5-of-15 (33.3 percent) from long range. USAO dominated the inside, outscoring JBU 46-22 in the paint.
Four Drovers scored in double figures led by Dierra Ely's 17, and seven of the eight players that found the floor tonight for Science & Arts scored five or more points.
The loss all but ends the season for the Golden Eagles. For Soderquist, the season is a symbol of changing expectations for women's basketball in Siloam Springs.
"For most of our history, we would have loved a 19-12 season," added Soderquist. "But the expectations of this team were higher. We had a good season, but I think we were a few plays here or there from a great season."
Five seniors, Jana Schammel, Kimmy Deines, Luize Skrastina, Courtney Fine and Rosa Orpo, most likely played their last game in the Blue and Gold, but their impact is going is going to be felt long after their final game at Bill George Arena.
"All five seniors have done a great job," noted Soderquist. "I appreciate them and their attitude and their effort. We will miss all five of them and their contributions. It is a big class that we are losing, but we want to keep this going. We will look a little different next year, but there is a lot to look forward to."
Science & Arts advances to Saturday's tournament final where they will face second-seed Oklahoma City at 1 p.m. at BGA.
