SILOAM SPRINGS -- The John Brown University women's basketball team had to endure three consecutive COVID-19 forfeitures earlier this month. After it's fifth consecutive win, the Golden Eagles are back to .500 overall.
Junior Tarrah Stephens scored 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field and junior Lisa Vanoverberghe pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds while the Golden Eagles notched a season-best nine blocks in a 68-58 victory over Southwestern A.G. (Texas) Saturday afternoon (Jan. 29) inside Bill George Arena.
The nine rejects are the most for any John Brown team since the 2015 season (twice) and the most swats the Lions (7-15, 4-12 Sooner Athletic) have endured this season.
Five ties and three lead changes peppered the first half, but Stephens scored eight points in a 4:29 stretch that spanned the end of the second quarter and into the third, helping the Golden Eagles (12-12, 8-8) blow open a 13-point lead after the game was tied at 22 apiece.
JBU hit 6-of-7 from the floor during the stretch and kept the Lions scoreless and 0-of-5 overall and a pair of turnovers.
Enjoying a double-digit lead for most of the second half, the Golden Eagles had to endure a final push from SAGU when the Lions rallied on a 13-7 run with 2:50 left to pull within six, 62-56. Stephens finally ended the visitors' comeback with a bucket followed by a pair of free throws that returned the margin back to 10 points.
Freshman Emily Sanders sank a pair at the line with less than a minute to play to maintain the double-digit win.
Chanie Chambers led the way for SAGU, scoring a game-high 21 points on four triples and completing the double-double with 10 rebounds. Jaycie Brisco and Neeley Tilley-Bedick contributed 10 points apiece in the loss.
The John Brown defense held the Lions to its exact same scoring efficiency as the teams' previous matchup in Waxahachie, 20-of-75 (27 percent), and narrowly out-boarded SAGU, 48-47.
JBU shot just shy of 40 percent with a 24-of-64 clip, and converted 12-of-15 opportunities from the line. Senior Maddie Altman scored 13 points and dished out six assists, while Sanders hit 4-of-5 from the line to finish with 11 points.
Now armed with a five-game winning streak, the Golden Eagles will now take on the SAC leaders in No. 12 Wayland Baptist (Texas) on Thursday (Feb. 3) evening. The tilt is scheduled to tip at 6 p.m.
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