BARTLESVILLE, Okla. -- In its first NAIA action of the season, the John Brown University men's basketball team suffered a 77-58 setback at No. 16 Oklahoma Wesleyan on Tuesday (Nov. 2) evening inside the Mueller Sports Center.
Senior Luke Harper shot 50 percent from the field (6-of-12) to score a team-leading 13 points, but a cold-shooting second half from the Golden Eagles (1-1) extinguished any hopes of a comeback bid after a pivotal first-half Oklahoma Wesleyan (2-0) run.
Graduate student Brenton Toussaint's layup gave JBU a 16-13 lead midway through the first half, but an ensuing 2-of-7 spurt from the floor, exacerbated by three turnovers, allowed the primed OKWU transition game to piece together a 19-5 run, handing the hosts an 11-point lead, 32-21.
Sophomore Noah Taylor's triple from the right arc whittled the lead down to seven, but the Eagles managed to rebuild a 12-point lead entering the intermission.
Both teams slowed down offensively in the second half, but John Brown's 10-of-31 shooting in the second half wasn't enough to counter the Wesleyan first-half run that broke open the contest.
Both teams secured 34 rebounds apiece, but OKWU dominated the paint, 34-16, and hit 10-of-14 from the stripe. The Golden Eagles managed just 10 attempts from the line, connecting on four.
Twelve Eagles scored for Oklahoma Wesleyan, led by Dylan Phillip's 11 points on three triples off the bench. Derrick Talton Jr. contributed 10 points, earning four at the free throw line.
John Brown now returns to action on Friday (Nov. 5) when it welcomes Arkansas Baptist in a rare matinee contest, scheduled to air live on the SAC Sports Network. The first contest between the two programs in history will tip off at 4 p.m.
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