SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- Texas Wesleyan was the only team lower than JBU in the standings to hand the Golden Eagles a loss through the first round of the Sooner Athletic round-robin schedule.
The Rams continued to give the John Brown University women's basketball team fits on Thursday (Jan. 24) night, and pulled off its first win inside Bill George Arena, a 72-64 decision, finishing a season sweep of the Golden Eagles (12-7, 8-4 Sooner Athletic).
Wesleyan's Lexi Burns scored 15 of her 21 points in the second half, and no shot was bigger than her triple with just over two minutes left that turned a one-point lead into a four-point cushion, 68-64.
After that, three Golden Eagle turnovers and a missed triple ended a contest that saw the hosts battle back from a six-point deficit with an 8-0 run midway through the fourth quarter. Back-to-back triples from senior Karina Chandra and freshman Marta Matamala were followed by senior Baily Cameron's layup with 3:36 remaining to give John Brown a 64-62 lead, its first since late in the third quarter.
A 33 percent second-half shooting mark hampered the Golden Eagles from maintaining its 42-35 lead at the intermission as the Rams (9-11, 7-5) broke a brief two-game skid and moved to 1-6 all-time inside Bill George Arena.
Cameron finished with her seventh double-double of the season, pouring in 20 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the field. She also grabbed 10 rebounds, propelling JBU to a 37-26 rebounding advantage. Sophomore Taylor Fergen flirted with her third double-double of the year, posting nine points and nine rebounds.
However, the rest of the Golden Eagles combined for just 13 field goals as Wesleyan out-scored John Brown 37-22 in the second half.
Helping Burns was Nichole Gleason's 16 points and four rebounds while Evie Whorley shot 4-of-6 from the field to contribute 10 points and five assists. TXWES ran out to a 10-2 fast-break point advantage.
The loss allowed Mid-America Christian (Okla.) to move within a half game of JBU, powered by the Evangels' upset of No. 5 Wayland Baptist (Texas) in Oklahoma City. The Golden Eagles will look to maintain the slim margin in the standings with a season sweep of Southwestern A.G. (Texas), when the two teams tangle on Saturday (Jan. 26) afternoon at 1 p.m.
