SILOAM SPRINGS -- Nine players for the John Brown University women's basketball team scored at least five points on opening night, highlighted by a 25-point, 10-rebound double-double from senior Tarrah Stephens, and a dozen different Golden Eagles scored in a lopsided 86-24 season-opening victory over Ozark Christian (Mo.) on Friday night (Oct. 28) inside Bill George Arena.
JBU (1-0) started slowly on the offensive end, but their defense was in command all night as they held the visiting Ambassadors (0-1) to 24 points on 8-for-45 shooting en route to the win.
JBU opened the game on a 7-0 run, and Stephens scored seven points in the opening quarter as JBU took a 12-4 lead after 10 minutes of play. OCC closed to within four points early in the second frame, but JBU delivered the knockout blow with a 21-0 run that spanned seven minutes in the period. During the spurt, Stephens tallied seven and Natalie Smith buried a pair of 3-pointers as JBU opened a 37-12 lead and led to a 37-15 halftime advantage.
The Golden Eagles defense was particularly stingy in the final two frames, as they held OCC to only nine points in 20 minutes of play. JBU outscored OCC 25-8 in the third period, and 24-1 in the final frame, and they held OCC without a made field goal in the final 13 and a half minutes (0-for-11, 13 turnovers) as JBU cruised to the 86-24 win.
Stephens finished with 25 points on 10-for-18 shooting, and she and Gracie Harris each led the way with 10 boards in the game. Elise Cone narrowly missed reaching double figures, as she did not miss in the game. She was 3-for-3 shooting including a 3-pointer, and she made both of her free throw attempts in the game as well. Maddie Altman scored eight points and dished out five assists; Emily Sanders, Bella Spindler, and Nadia Akbar each added seven; Smith and Harris chipped in six; and Maci Mains tallied five points.
As a team, JBU cashed in 33-of-77 (42.9%) shots, they were 8-for-30 (26.7%) from long distance, and the Golden Eagles were a perfect 12-for-12 from the charity stripe. JBU out-rebounded OCC 58-25, they had 22 assists to only three for the Ambassadors, and JBU racked up 23 steals in the contest.
JBU will return to action on the road in Bartlesville, Okla. in one week as they take part in the Oklahoma Wesleyan Classic. The Golden Eagles will battle the host Eagles on Friday (Nov. 4) at 8 p.m., before wrapping up the weekend action at noon the following day versus Friends (Kan.).
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