SILOAM SPRINGS -- Behind six players in double-figure scoring and shooting a season-best mark from the floor, the John Brown University men's basketball team pieced together its most dominating performance of the season while dispatching Langston (Okla.), 101-56, Thursday (Jan. 20) evening inside Bill George Arena.
While the Lions (1-17, 0-13 Sooner Athletic) remain winless in league play, John Brown (12-8, 6-6) pulled away late in the first half and used a rare gigantic rally to lead at one point by over 50 points. It was the fourth time in the 2021-22 season that JBU hit the century mark.
Graduate student Rokas Grabliauskas notched a season-best 19 point performance on 7-of-9 shooting, including a 5-of-7 effort from behind the arc, while junior Nemanja Obradovic contributed a career-high 17 point outing on an incredibly efficient 7-of-8 mark from the field.
Junior Payton Guiot came off the bench to provide 15 points and four assists and senior Ira Perrier completed an evening with 13 points – including a pair of thunderous second-half dunks.
Junior James Beckom shot perfectly, scoring 12 points, while junior DJ Ellis etched out an all-around contest with 11 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Battling through a pair of ties and a small six-point lead with just 6:08 left in the first half, the Golden Eagles embarked on a rare 35-3 run that spanned the end of the first half and into the second. Over the next 9:56 of the contest, JBU hit 14-of-19 shots from the floor and received nine points apiece from Obradovic and Ellis, and another eight points from Grabliauskas.
The Langston offense went silent during the stretch, shooting 1-of-8 from the floor and committing nine turnovers.
John Brown dominated inside, outscoring the Lions 70-26 in the paint. The hosts also out-rebounded Langston 41-25, and turned 10 offensive rebounds into 17 second-chance points. LU could only come up with two points from its bench, while Golden Eagle reserves produced 33 of its point total.
Four of five Lion starters finished in double figures, led by Lacorian Ballard's 13 points. Naythan Shaw-Clark produced 12, while Armani Allen and Carlos Coppage contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively, in the loss for Langston.
The Golden Eagles shot a season-best 58 percent (42-of-73) from the field, despite a pedestrian 31 percent from long range (11-of-35). The visitors fared even worse from behind the arc, knocking down just 4-of-17 attempts (24 percent).
Now back in the win column, JBU now takes on Central Christian (Kan.) in Wichita Saturday afternoon, looking for another season sweep. The tilt that is scheduled to begin at 3:45 p.m. will air live on the SAC Sports Network.
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