SILOAM SPRINGS -- Senior Payton Guiot led all players with 22 points as the Golden Eagles received pivotal bench production and ran its win streak to two after taking down Texas Wesleyan, 83-79, on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 21) inside Bill George Arena.
Every time the Rams (11-9, 8-6 Sooner Athletic) came within a possession in the second half, the Golden Eagles (6-13, 4-9) had a response, including the waning moments of the game where the hosts finished 16-of-22 from the charity stripe in the second half.
Guiot drained five triples and converted 5-of-7 at the charity stripe while dishing out six assists.
The JBU reserves played a huge role, besting its usual output, mostly due to the efforts of senior James Beckom and junior Noah Taylor. Beckom hit half of his 12 attempts from the floor and went 7-for-10 at the line to secure his second-straight double-double at 19 points and 10 rebounds. Taylor was efficient from long range, hitting 3-of-5 from behind the arc to contribute 14 points. Senior Tyren Collins and freshman Malachi Reeves rounded out the double-digit scoring efforts with 10 points apiece.
After Wesleyan jumped out to an early 10-3 lead, the John Brown defense tightened, forcing the Rams to endure a 6:18 stretch where the visitors hit just 2-of-11 from the floor and turned the ball over three times. On the other end of the court during the 12-4 Golden Eagle run, Beckom and Taylor each contributed three points and what was once a seven-point deficit turned in favor of the hosts, 21-18.
Guiot then caught fire over the final 7:07 of the first half, scoring eight points and leading the John Brown 18-12 charge that closed the first half with the hosts holding a nine-point advantage, 39-30.
A 9-2 run to open the second half brough Wesleyan back within one possession, but Guiot, Taylor and Reeves each knocked down triples over the next 3:16, reinvigorating the JBU lead, 52-41.
After trading points for a while, the Rams made their final comeback bid, piecing together a 7-0 run to grapple back within three points, 66-63. On the ensuing possession, Guiot's triple provided the requisite breathing room needed with 4:14 left in the game. TXWES shot 5-of-10 the rest of the way – with three more turnovers – while the hosts converted 12-of-17 at the line to cement the victory.
Rob Brown and Lamine Komara each scored 14 for the Rams, while Akili Vining and Keyaun Hoskin each produced 13 points. Juwan Jones netted 12 in the loss.
While John Brown shot 43 percent (26-of-61) from the field, the defense held the Rams to a 40 percent clip (30-of-76). JBU went to the foul line 11 more times than the opposition (31-20) and limited the Rams' ability to rebound on the offensive glass, holding the visitors to just 13 second-chance points despite 18 offensive rebounds for the visitors.
The two-game win streak continues as John Brown enjoys its current three-game homestand, which features Oklahoma City next on Tuesday night (Jan. 24) inside Bill George Arena. Scheduled to stream live on the SAC Sports Network, tip off is slated for 7:45 p.m.
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