MUSKOGEE, Okla. -- For the second time this season, the No. 21 John Brown University men's basketball team (17-7, 11-5 Sooner Athletic) overcame a halftime deficit and rolled to a 50-point outburst in the second half to register an 89-73 win over Bacone (Okla.) on Tuesday (Feb. 5) evening inside the Palmer Gymnasium.
Senior Josh Bowling led the second-half effort by scoring 15 of his team-leading 23 points in the comeback effort as he converted all six chances at the stripe to accompany a five rebound and three assist effort.
Senior Jake Caudle bolstered the four double-digit scoring productions from JBU with 16 points while junior Desmond Kennedy came off the bench to hit three triples and produce 15 points.
Sophomore Densier Carnes completed his second-career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, becoming the fourth Golden Eagle this season to complete a double-double effort.
Scoring six first-half triples and shooting 52 percent from the field, Bacone (2-19, 0-16) saw the Golden Eagles piece together to a 13-1 advantage midway through the second half to take a 15-point lead, 67-52, capped off by a Kennedy triple.
While the lead did dwindle back to six, 75-69, four consecutive possessions yielded points for the visitors, including a pair of old-fashioned three-point plays from Caudle and Carnes, and the lead suddenly was back to 14 points with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
Jared Walsh's game-high 24 points, and seven rebounds, kept the Warriors in the hunt, as did Christian Brown's 23 points. Ahjae Johnson added 13 points for the hosts in the loss.
After shooting 50 percent from the field in the first half, the Golden Eagles hit 16-of-27 from the floor in the second stanza (59 percent) and enjoyed a 38-point contribution from the bench. Bacone could only conjure up five points from its reserves.
JBU will now continue its three-game week by welcoming league-leading No. 10 Wayland Baptist (Texas) to Bill George Arena on Thursday (Feb. 7) night. Tip is scheduled for 8 p.m.
