SILOAM SPRINGS -- Five different Golden Eagles scored in double figures and the hosts flirted with the program's single-game triple record as the John Brown University women's basketball team poured in 18 three-pointers in a 92-57 runaway victory over Wayland Baptist (Texas) on Saturday afternoon (Dec. 9) inside Bill George Arena to close out the fall semester.
Senior Natalie Smith (26 points) nearly matched her previous career-high by knocking down 9-of-14 overall and 8-of-12 from behind the arc, powering the hosts to an 18-of-31 effort (58 percent) from long range, easily the team's best performance from deep this season. Six different Golden Eagles scored at least one triple.
With the win, the Golden Eagle (8-3, 5-0 Sooner Athletic) streak now hits six – the team's longest since the middle of last season – and stood as the program's largest win over the Flying Queens (6-2, 3-1) in team history. JBU's previous largest margin of victory was a 92-63 win in Siloam Springs back on Jan. 10, 2004.
John Brown also matched a program record with its five-game winning streak to open league play, hitting the same mark as the 2010-11 squad.
The contest began, ironically, with John Brown struggles that led to a 15-9 deficit after the first ten minutes of play where the Golden Eagles had more turnovers (10) than points. Then in the second frame, the offense came to life.
JBU then shot 7-of-10 from behind the arc and 5-of-8 inside the three-point line and put up its most explosive quarter of the season by dropping 31 points in the frame to carry a 40-33 lead into the intermission.
The break did nothing to slow down the John Brown offense as the hosts hit 20-of-30 from the field in the second half alone (67 percent) and continued the three-point barrage by knocking down 8-of-15 (53 percent) from three-point range.
The visitors couldn't maintain JBU's output, and managed a mere four triples the entire afternoon on 27 attempts (15 percent), despite ending the contest 23-of-69 (33 percent) from the floor overall.
Over the final three quarters, the Golden Eagles outscored WBU by an 81-42 margin, hitting a game-high 40-point lead with just under three minutes left in the game.
Since league play began on Nov. 28, the John Brown offense is averaging 77.0 points per game, 16 points per game higher than its first six outings of the season.
While the Flying Queens used 16 offensive rebounds, one more than defensive rebounds, to produce 14 second-chance points, and a 20-15 turnover advantage the translated into 23 points of JBU turnovers, the visitors simply couldn't overcome the Golden Eagles' best shooting performance of the campaign so far.
Senior Tarrah Stephens shot 8-of-11 to finish with 19 points, nine rebounds and four steals, while freshman Abbey Sanders' career night concluded with 13 points and nine assists – including a buzzer-beating halfcourt heave at the end of the third quarter. Sister Emily Sanders knocked down 4-of-7 from deep to finish with 12 points and seven assists and senior Bella Irlenborn's efficient 4-of-5 shooting afternoon ended with 10 points and eight rebounds.
Linda Brice accounted for nearly 40 percent of the Wayland Baptist offense as she scored 21 points and Megan Nestor's 15 points and 14 rebounds accounted for the lone Flying Queens in double-digit scoring.
JBU will now take the Christmas break to rest before returning to action on Thursday (Jan. 4) when the Golden Eagles begin the second semester with a pair of away games, beginning with a clash with North Texas at Dallas at 6 p.m. John Brown will then conclude the road trip at Southwestern A.G. (Texas) the following Saturday (Jan. 6) in a 2 p.m. matinee bout. Both games are scheduled to stream live on the SAC Sports Network.
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