SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- The John Brown University women's basketball team battled to a four-point lead early in the second quarter, but the inside game of the Stars was too much to overcome as No. 2 Oklahoma City escaped the Golden Eagles by a 76-51 final on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 18) inside Bill George Arena.
Layups from freshmen Tarrah Stephens and Lisa Vanoverberghe built a 22-18 lead for the Golden Eagles (5-12, 1-7) just prior to the 8:00 mark of the second quarter, but Oklahoma City quietly ended the half on an 8-1 run that opened up a 36-28 lead at the intermission that the Stars (16-0, 8-0) would never relinquish.
City posted its best effort in the third quarter, hitting 7-of-11 from the field (64 percent) and built a game-high 18 point lead, 54-36, with 2:41 remaining in the third quarter.
Reigning SAC Freshman of the Year Abby Selzer controlled the paint and posted a game-high 23 points on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting from the field. She also hit 7-of-10 at the line and grabbed eight boards. Mallory Lockhart chipped in with 16 points on four triples, while Shamika Smith came off the bench to provide 11 points. Erika Ankney was the fourth Star to score in double figures with 10.
When the Golden Eagles sent OCU to the line, the visitors made it count by converting 17-of-21 from the charity stripe.
The John Brown three-point shooting kept the contest within reach as the hosts buried 12-of-30 attempts from behind the arc, as five different players hit a pair of triples.
Sophomore Haley James produced her sixth double-digit scoring effort of the season, leading John Brown with a team-best 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting off the bench, adding in four rebounds and a pair of helpers. Senior Ally Teague notched an 11-point outing and nearly earned her first double-double of the season with nine rebounds, a team-high, helping the Golden Eagles win the battle of the boards, 35-32. She also passed out a career-best six assists, nearly one-third of JBU's 19 assists in the contest.
The visitors held a 55-20 advantage in the paint as John Brown focused on its three-point shooting. Twenty-two turnovers by the Golden Eagles fueled 23 City points off miscues.
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John Brown will now head west to take on Wayland Baptist, situated second in the Sooner Athletic standings, on Thursday night in Plainview. The matchup is scheduled for 6 p.m.
