SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- The John Brown University women's basketball team started and ended the game competitively, but the Golden Eagles were held to a combined total of 15 points in the second and third quarters as Texas Wesleyan (4-1, 1-0 SAC) built a sizable lead and then held on for the 53-50 win on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 23) inside Bill George Arena.
Texas Wesleyan took the lead one minute into the game on a 3-pointer from Evie Whorley, but the Golden Eagles (2-6, 0-2 Sooner Athletic) kept things close for most of the quarter. The Rams did score six straight points late in the frame, but back-to-back triples from sophomores Maddie Altman and Haley James in the final minute of the frame helped JBU close the gap to just one at 16-15 after one quarter of play.
JBU took the lead on a basket from freshman Tarrah Stephens, and the game was tied at 22 with 5:46 to play before the half. Unfortunately for JBU, the Golden Eagles missed their last 12 shots of the first half, and Texas Wesleyan took advantage to the tune of a 15-0 run to take a 37-22 halftime lead.
After Texas Wesleyan scored the first three points of the third frame, JBU ran off an 8-0 run to trim the margin to 10 points. Junior Taylor Fergen snapped the JBU scoring drought, and her basket sparked the run. Senior Ally Teague buried a trey with 3:40 to play, and Stephens followed with a triple of her own at the 2:33 mark to pull JBU within 10, 40-30. The Rams, though, scored the final eight points of the quarter to take a 48-30 lead into the final period.
The fourth quarter belonged to JBU. Sophomore Marta Matamala scored on an assist from James just 10 seconds into the quarter, and sophomore Sierra Bailey converted a traditional three-point play 48 seconds later to cut the deficit to 48-35. Matamala and Teague connected on consecutive makes from behind the arc moments later, and Fergen capped a 15-0 run with four straight points to cut the deficit to 48-45 with 4:46 to play.
Destiny Winkfield scored Texas Wesleyan's only field goal of the final frame at the 4:30 mark, and the lead was pushed back to seven with a pair of free throws from Whorley. Matamala canned a triple with 1:56 left for JBU, and Stephens scored with 14 seconds to play to pull JBU within two at 52-50. Winkfield missed one of her two free throws with nine seconds remaining, and Matamala got a look at the tie, but her attempt went begging, and Texas Wesleyan held on to win 53-50.
Matamala finished the game as the only JBU player in double-figures with 13 points, and she tied for the team lead with seven boards - a mark matched by Fergen who also had eight points and six assists.
As a team, JBU made 20-of-71 (28 percent) field goal attempts and 9-of-32 tries from behind the arc. The Golden Eagles attempted only two free throws in the game, making one.
Up Next »
JBU will continue a four game home stand on Tuesday, December 3 when they welcome the Royals of Ecclesia College (1-9) to Bill George Arena. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m.
