CHICKASHA, Okla. -- Five players scored in double figures as the Golden Eagles scored 49 second-half points on 63 percent shooting (19-of-30), elevating the John Brown University men's basketball team to a 90-63 win versus Science & Arts (Okla.) on Thursday night (Jan. 19) inside the Drover Fieldhouse.
Senior Payton Guiot scored 20 points, passed out five assists and collected eight rebounds, while senior James Beckom came off the bench to provide 14 points and 10 boards – his third double-double of the season – to lead John Brown in rebounding. JBU enjoyed 37 bench points – accounting for over 40 percent of the scoring output.
"What a great game for us, against a very good Science & Arts squad," head coach Jason Beschta noted. "Our guys were locked in and competed at a really high level throughout the game. It was great to finally have a game with our entire team together again, but then to enjoy an evening where we continued to defend well and got hot scoring the ball.
"We were able to see so many different guys step in to make plays throughout the game. We know how dangerous [USAO] is at scoring in big spurts – and they made a run at us in the second half. I was so proud of the way we answered, stepping up to make the big plays needed for a big road win."
The win not only broke a two-game skid for the Golden Eagles (5-13, 3-9 Sooner Athletic), but ended an eight-game losing skid – dating back to 2014 – in Chickasha.
The Drovers primarily relied on getting to the line, shooting 9-of-14 through the first 16:41 of the game, to build a narrow 32-29 lead with 3:19 remaining in the first half. Then, Beckom's layup began a run that would return the lead back to the visitors, and for good.
Senior Tyren Collins produced a jumper and Beckom added another layup – and finished the three-point play – to end the Golden Eagle first half on a 12-0 run, building a 41-32 lead at the intermission. Then in the second half, the offensive efficiency continued.
Guiot opened the half with a triple, ending the run at 15-0, as the squads largely traded points until the Drovers pulled within five, 56-51. JBU then rode 11 points from Guiot and five points from freshmen Lukas Gabani and Josh Stewart to a 22-4 run that built a 78-55 lead for the visitors. The JBU defense produced stops on 11 of USAO's 12 possessions through the pivotal 5:05 stretch.
Six different players produced points down the stretch that eventually expanded into a game-high 27-point lead for the Golden Eagles, handing the Drovers its third consecutive loss.
John Brown finished 33-of-65 from the field (51 percent) and converted 14-of-19 at the line. USAO managed a mere 32 percent (21-of-66) effort overall from the floor, and relied on 16-of-21 shooting at the charity stripe to remain in contention before John Brown's lopsided run that effectively ended the contest.
Stewart finished 5-of-6 from the field to 12 points, and Gabani and senior DJ Ellis each netted 10 points. All three secured six rebounds each.
JBU will return to Siloam Springs to welcome Texas Wesleyan to Bill George Arena on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 21) for a matinee clash that opens a three-games-in-six-days homestand for the Golden Eagles. The contest will be carried live on the SAC Sports Network, with the clash scheduled to begin at 3:45 p.m.
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