SILOAM SPRINGS -- Freshman Abbey Sanders poured in back-to-back triples late in the third quarter, powering a period-ending 11-0 run that fueled a 60-51 comeback win for the John Brown University women's basketball team over Southwestern Christian (Okla.) on Thursday night (Jan. 11) inside Bill George Arena to extend its win streak to nine games.
The current nine-game heater by the Golden Eagles (11-3, 8-0 Sooner Athletic) ties a program record under head coach Jeff Soderquist, dating back to Nov. 15 through Jan. 4 of the 2013-14 season and even earlier, Nov. 13 through Jan. 1 of the 2010-11 campaign. JBU will have a chance to shatter the record on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 13) at Mid-America Christian (Okla.) live on the SAC Sports Network at 2 p.m.
Neither team shot particularly well, both south of 40 percent, and the squads were separated by just one rebound, so the game came down to Golden Eagle three-point shooting effort. The hosts finished the contest 13-of-35 from long range, boasted by five triples from Abbey Sanders and another four from senior Natalie Smith.
JBU is the 10th-best three-point shooting team in the nation, connecting on 140-of-369 (37 percent) of its chances from behind the arc.
With the 11-0 run at the end of the third erased a five-point SCU lead and built a seven-point margin in favor of John Brown, a quick 10-3 rally from the visitors over the first 3:32 seconds of the final stanza knotted the game at 46 – for the last time. Smith and junior Graci Harris connected on consecutive triples and the Golden Eagles closed out the contest on a 14-5 run over the final 5:28 of the period.
Senior Tarrah Stephens contributed a personal 7-0 run down the stretch and the JBU defense held the Eagles (7-7, 3-5) to 2-of-8 from the field after SCU's run to tie the game.
Stephens led all scorers with 20 points – her fourth 20-point outing of the season – and completed her second double-double of the year with season-best 13 rebounds. Abbey Sanders contributed a pivotal 15 points of the bench all originating from long range, and Smith finished the night with 12 points on four triples.
Harris passed out a career-high seven assists in the win. John Brown assisted on 85 percent (17-of-20) of its buckets.
MJ Case poured in 18 points and added five rebounds and five assists for the visitors, which were coming off an upset win over Mid-America Christian earlier in the week. Kennedy Allison scored 14 points and notched a trio of blocks.
The Golden Eagles improved to 5-0 at home this season and average 72.4 points per game inside the friendly confines of Bill George Arena.
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