SILOAM SPRINGS -- Five players finished in double-digit scoring, two players scored over 20 points and the Golden Eagles shot 61 percent behind the arc (22-of-26) as the John Brown University men's basketball team steamrolled Barclay (Kan.) in a 125-49 final on Friday night (Oct. 28) inside Bill George Arena in the 39th annual Toilet Paper Game.
After dishing an assist in last year's marquee event, senior DJ Ellis' layup after driving the lane fell just 44 seconds into the contest, initiating one of the best small-college athletics traditions: the obligatory throwing of toilet paper onto John Sheehy Court.
TP Game 2022
Let it fly! 🧻🧻🧻 DJ Ellis scores 44 seconds into the game to make the TP rain in Bill George Arena! Thank you to Kimberly-Clark for once again powering the Toilet Paper Game!
Posted by John Brown University on Friday, October 28, 2022
Midway through the first half, the Golden Eagles (1-0) held a 28-13 advantage, but a 24-9 run over the next 7:39 broke the game wide open, 51-22, in favor of the hosts. Before halftime the margin grew to 29 points as JBU held a commanding 60-31 lead at the intermission.
The Golden Eagles out-scored Barclay (0-1) 65-18 in the second half, courtesy of 12-of-16 shooting from behind the arc (75 percent), while the Bears could only manage five field goals in the final 20 minutes of play.
Sophomore Latrell Maitland recorded a career-high 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the floor – five of his buckets coming from deep – as he also added a career-best seven assists. Senior Payton Guiot knocked down six triples and finished with 20 points and four steals, while Ellis completed the evening with 19 points and a career-best 10 assists. Junior Noah Taylor and redshirt freshman Boaz Camp each produced double-digit scoring efforts with 17 and 14 points, respectively.
The hosts dominated the glass, 54-27, and enjoyed 20 points coming in transition. JBU more than doubled the Bears in points produced in the paint, 56-26, and finished the evening shooting 63 percent (50-of-80) from the floor.
The 125 points is the most points scored by a Golden Eagles team since JBU put up 126 points against Southwestern A.G. (Texas) on Dec. 4, 1998, and is the fourth-most points ever scored in a Golden Eagle basketball game.
Barclay's lone bright spot, Davion Knight, scored a game-high 23 points on 9-of-27 shooting from the field, but the rest of the Bears managed a mere 21 percent shooting effort overall (7-of-34) and hit just three of its 25 triples attempted.
JBU now moves to 3-0 all-time versus Barclay in the famed Toilet Paper Game, with the win adding to previous victories in 2021 and 2015. John Brown broke the century mark in all three of those outings, besting the Bears by an average of 53 points.
With the festivities now in the rearview mirror, John Brown returns to the hardwood on Tuesday night (Nov. 1) when it welcomes Ozark Christian (Mo.) to Siloam Springs for a 7 p.m. tip. The contest will be carried live on the SAC Sports Network.
The Toilet Paper Game, powered by Kimberly-Clarkâ„¢
For the sixth year, JBU teamed up with Kimberly-Clark, who donated 4,000 rolls of Cottonelle toilet paper for the game. Fans brought canned protein items to exchange for a roll of TP to toss, and the other 2,000 rolls will be donated, along with the canned food items, to the Manna Center, a local food bank in Siloam Springs.
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