SILOAM SPRINGS -- For the second time in three games sophomore Natalie Smith breeched the 20-point mark by scoring a career-high 28 points and the Golden Eagles held the Stars' leading scorers largely in check as the John Brown University women's basketball team ended an eight-year skid versus Oklahoma City with a commanding 87-69 win on Tuesday (Jan. 25) evening inside Bill George Arena.
Smith did it all for the Golden Eagles (10-12, 6-8 Sooner Athletic), which have now won three straight, by hitting 9-of-17 from the field, including a 5-of-11 effort behind the arc, and securing a team-leading seven rebounds. She also contributed a pair of blocks and two steals in the victory.
28 points ✅
9 FG ✅
5 3FG ✅
7 REBS ✅
New career-high scoring night ✅
Natalie Smith did it all tonight, and the Golden Eagles shrugged a huge weight off its shoulders in the process! 🥶
Posted by John Brown University Athletics on Tuesday, January 25, 2022
John Brown hadn't found the upper hand with the Stars since the 2013-14 season when the Golden Eagles upset City in the Sooner Athletic tournament semifinals in Shawnee, Okla.
The hosts won the important battle on the board, 37-30, and limited the Stars (12-7, 7-7) to just 12 offensive rebounds and 10 second-chance points. The Golden Eagles, meanwhile, pulled down 15 boards on the offensive glass of their own, turning the extra possessions into 14 points.
Both teams came out of the gates hot, shooting over 50 percent apiece in the first quarter. OCU's only lead of the night, 5-4, evaporated quickly as John Brown held a six-point lead, 24-18, at the end of the first – shooting 11-of-19 from the floor.
The offenses slowed considerably in the second quarter, but Smith's triple late in the period pushed John Brown out to a 14-point lead, 40-26, until Erika Ankney's buzzer-beating heave from well outside the arc fell.
Five turnovers plagued City in the third, and the John Brown lead grew slowly before the start of the final period. JBU hit 8-of-16 from the field in the third – including a pair of triples from freshman Emily Sanders. Senior Maddie Altman's bucket at the buzzer in the third pushed the Golden Eagle lead to 19, 64-45.
The visitors found one final push – rolling to a 13-7 run to open the fourth quarter, led by seven points from City's Abby Selzer. With the lead cut to 13 with 6:21 left in the contest, John Brown found its final retaliation.
Freshman Graci Harris added a bucket and the lead returned to 18 after Smith's fifth and final triple of the evening. Junior Tarrah Stephen's field goal with 4:37 extended the lead to a game-high 20 on the next possession, icing the Stars' final attempts at a comeback bid.
Joining Smith with a career-high output was Sanders as she poured in 16 points on an efficient 6-of-8 shooting effort, hitting all four triples attempted. Along with a career-best seven assists, she added five boards.
Stephens finished in double figures again (12 points) adding a pair of blocks and helpers.
Selzer found her 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting, but Ankney was limited to a pedestrian six points. Paige Pendley and Annalia Dawn posted 12 and 11 points, respectively, in the Stars' setback.
The Golden Eagles shot 51 percent on the night (32-of-63) and forced City into 19 turnovers.
The three-game homestand continues for the Golden Eagles on Thursday (Jan. 27) evening when John Brown welcomes North Texas at Dallas to Bill George Arena for the first time ever. The 6 p.m. contest will stream live on the SAC Sports Network.
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