CHICKASHA, Okla. -- After falling behind early by 10 points, the John Brown University women's basketball team used a 14-4 run to close out the second quarter and eventually build an 11-point fourth quarter lead in a 61-57 win at Science & Arts (Okla.) on Thursday (Feb. 17) evening inside Drover Fieldhouse.
Sophomore Natalie Smith scored a game-high 16 points – eight coming during the pivotal second-quarter run – to lead all scorers, and junior Tarrah Stephens added 15 points, three blocks and six steals as the Golden Eagles (15-14, 11-10 Sooner Athletic) snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Drovers, dating back to Feb. 16, 2019.
Two B I G plays from tonight's win at Science & Arts. The ladies are heating up 🔥 at just the right time of the season.
Posted by John Brown University Athletics on Thursday, February 17, 2022
While the Drovers (20-8, 14-7) won the battle on the glass, 47-25, and pulled down 16 offensive rebounds, the John Brown defense held the hosts to a difficult 37 percent (20-of-54) shooting effort and a meager 4-of-18 (22 percent) mark from long range. USAO committed at least 20 turnovers for the fifth time this season.
Despite starting the game just 2-of-9 from the floor and finding itself in a 14-4 hole, John Brown ended the first quarter and began the second holding the Drover offense to a 0-of-11 streak from the floor over a 6:40 span. After back-to-back triples from junior Lisa Vanoverberghe and freshman Emily Sanders, the visitors then rattled off its own 14-4 run that saw Smith drain a triple with 33 second left and convert a last-second layup to hand JBU its first lead of the contest headed into the intermission.
Armed with the momentum, the Golden Eagles never trailed in the second half, although Science & Arts did pull within one, 39-38, with just over a minute left to play in the third. Again, the Blue and Gold had a response, this time in the form of a trey from freshman Grace Harris from the right arc and a Maddie Altman layup just before the buzzer.
Leading by as many as 11 in the fourth, 51-40, the Drovers mounted one final comeback attempt. An 8-0 rally pulled USAO back to within three, 51-48, but Vanoverberghe hit consecutive layups and Smith hit her biggest triple of the contest to restore a nine-point lead.
Although the Drovers did get within one possession one more time, 60-57, two missed shots and a pair of turnovers by the hosts officially ended its ability to erase the deficit. Stephens split a pair at the line with 15 seconds left to increase the lead to four. Vanoverberghe's steal on USAO's final possession went uncontested as she crossed the timeline and ran out the clock.
Vanoverberghe came up big with 13 points, five rebounds and connected on 2-of-4 attempts from behind the arc. Altman passed out six assisted for the 13th time this season, increasing her assist average to 4.8 per game this season.
The visitors shot 56 percent in fourth quarter and ended the evening just shy of 40 percent from the floor (21-of-53). The Golden Eagles converted on 10-of-27 attempts from long range (37 percent) and sunk 9-of-13 chances at the charity stripe.
JBU will close out the regular season on Saturday (Feb. 19) afternoon, when the Golden Eagles welcome Texas Wesleyan to Bill George Arena. John Brown has already sewn up the sixth seed in next week's Sooner Athletic tournament. The SAC Sports Network will carry the action live at 2 p.m.
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