BARTLESVILLE, Okla. -- Senior Tarrah Stephens scored a game-high 25 points and the Golden Eagle defense held Oklahoma Wesleyan to a meager 34 percent shooting from the floor as the John Brown University women's basketball team picked up a 65-45 win on Friday night (Nov. 4) inside the Mueller Sports Complex.
Stephens finished 10-of-12 from the field and had a perfect night at the line, converting all five chances, while adding five rebounds. Graduate student Maci Mains came off the bench to provide 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting and a pair of steals, and sophomore Emily Sanders contributed nine points and six boards.
Stephens kicked off the game with an and-one followed by a layup, Sanders produced a layup of her own and senior Lisa Vanoverberghe hit two from the line giving the Golden Eagles a commanding 9-0 lead that it would never relinquish.
The Oklahoma Wesleyan offense wasn't able to generate a field goal through the first 7:32 of the first quarter and was limited to just 13 points at halftime.
John Brown hit 49 percent from the field (24-of-49) and won the battle of the boards, 33-17, including nabbing 11 offensive rebounds that generated 13 second-chance points. JBU also dominated the paint, 38-14.
The host Eagles had just one player in double-figure scoring, Cierra Johnson, who finished the night with 13 points. While OKWU did hit eight triples, it was only able to hit eight shots through the entire evening inside the three point line, finishing 50 percent, but attempted just 16 shots inside the arc.
The two squads will meet again next weekend in Oklahoma City at the Mid-America Christian (Okla.) Classic.
The Golden Eagles turn around quickly for a noon tip against Friends (Kan.) to close out its two-game stretch in Bartlesville.
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