SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- Freshman Tarrah Stephens and junior Taylor Fergen each posted a double-double and the Golden Eagles moved one step closer towards a postseason berth as the John Brown University women's basketball team took a 79-62 win over Oklahoma Panhandle State on Thursday night (Feb. 20) inside Bill George Arena.
With three games remaining, JBU (9-17, 5-12 Sooner Athletic) trails Southwestern A.G. (Texas) by one game for the eighth and final spot in the Sooner Athletic tournament. The Golden Eagles are scheduled to take on the Lions in Waxahachie in the regular-season finale on Feb. 29, which could determine who is in, and who is out.
Stephens led all players with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 10 rebounds to collect her third double-double of the season. Fergen, meanwhile, hit 7-of-8 at the line to score 16 and corralled 10 boards for her second double-double of the year. The hosts maintained a clear 43-30 rebounding advantage in the wire-to-wire season sweep of the Aggies.
Senior Sara Williams was the third Golden Eagle to score in double figures, hitting five triples and shooting 6-of-12 from the field to post a career-best 17 points in 32 minutes of play. She also added four assists.
The contest got out of hand quickly when OPSU started the contest shooting just 3-of-15. The hosts recorded six triples in the opening stanza and quickly took a 26-6 lead after 10 minute of play.
After an even second quarter, a quick 9-5 run to open the third pushed the Golden Eagle lead to a game-high 25 points, 48-23, on senior Jordan Martin's triple. The visitors would eventually out-score JBU by a 27-21 margin in the third quarter, but John Brown retaliated with a narrow 19-17 margin in the last 10 minutes of play as 10 players saw action in the win.
After starting out 6-of-9 from behind the arc the Golden Eagles cooled off, finishing the contest 12-of-36 from long range (33 percent). But moving inside the arc, JBU ended the night hitting 29-of-63 chances (46 percent) and out-scored Panhandle State by a 34-24 margin in the paint.
Despite a pair of double-digit performances, the Aggies were held to 37 percent shooting (22-of-60) and connected on only 8-of-28 three-point opportunities. Shay Audain's 15 points led OPSU, while Naomi Rodriguez contributed 13 in the losing effort.
Senior Ally Teague came off the bench to contribute nine points and six boards and sophomore Haley James added another six points from the reserve role.
Up Next »
The Golden Eagles close out the regular season home slate on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 22) in a 2 p.m. tilt with No. 5 Wayland Baptist (Texas) inside Bill George Arena. Seniors Jordan Martin, Ally Teague Sara Williams and KJ Roh will be honored postgame as part of senior day festivities.
