SILOAM SPRINGS -- Senior Natalie Smith led three scorers in double-digit points and the Golden Eagles posted its best defense of the season as the John Brown University women's basketball team rolled to a fifth-consecutive win by rolling Oklahoma Panhandle State, 75-28, on Thursday night (Dec. 7) inside Bill George Arena.
Over the five-game stretch, the Golden Eagles (7-3, 4-0 Sooner Athletic) are averaging a 29.6 points margin of victory while the offense has generated 71.4 points per game since a 64-42 win at Southeastern (Fla.) back on Nov. 18.
Smith broke out with a game-high 18-point performance on 7-of-12 shooting, and added seven assists and six rebounds, allowing JBU to open Sooner Athletic play with four straight wins for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign.
Senior Tararh Stephens posted 13 points in 16 minutes, while junior Emily Sanders added 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting from behind the arc. Senior Bella Irlenborn contributed eight points and nine rebounds as the hosts out-rebounded the Aggies (0-5, 0-3) by a 43-34 margin.
John Brown hit 7-of-17 from the field in the opening quarter to run out to a 22-10 advantage after 10 minutes of play, then cruised to the win by out-scoring OPSU by a 53-18 margin the rest of the way.
While Diana Santos scored 10 points for the visitors, Panhandle State couldn't piece together much offensive efficiency and finished the night shooting 10-of-57 from the floor (18 percent). The Golden Eagles meanwhile, ended the evening at 47 percent (28-of-60), and improved to 5-0 when shooting over 40 percent.
JBU dominated the paint, 34-18, and turned 13 offensive boards into 18 second-chance points. Eleven Golden Eagles scored in the romp.
John Brown will now welcome Wayland Baptist (Texas) and its four-game winning streak to Bill George Arena on Saturday (Dec. 9) afternoon as the team's clash in matinee fashion at 2 p.m. The contest is slated to air live on the SAC Sports Network.
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