SILOAM SPRINGS -- The John Brown University women's basketball team out-scored the visiting Drovers 22-4 in the third quarter to erase a deficit and rode the momentum as the No. 21 Golden Eagles knocked off Science & Arts (Okla.), 63-51, inside Bill George Arena on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 20).
The win ended a seven-game Drover (11-6, 7-4 Sooner Athletic) winning streak inside Bill George Arena and completed a perfect Golden Eagle (14-3, 11-0) sweep of the first round of Sooner Athletic play. It was the first time a SAC team completed half the gauntlet unscathed since Oklahoma City pulled it off in the 2019-20 season.
The league's top defense in John Brown, allowing just 53.3 points per game, limited the Drovers to just 51 points, a season low for USAO. The hosts won the rebounding battle 50-40, and senior Tarrah Stephens led the way with four of the Golden Eagles' season-high eight blocks.
Also largely contributing to the season-high 50 boards were seniors Bella Irlenborn and Leah Anderson, as the duo each ripped nine caroms in the 12th-consecutive JBU win.
USAO set the ton early inside Bill George Arena, shooting 47 percent in the first quarter and later building a game-high nine-point advantage, 23-14, early in the second quarter. After struggling through the first stanza, the Golden Eagles managed to use a 7-0 run midway through the second to keep the margin at six, 33-27, at the intermission.
Then, the hosts took control of the contest.
Five different players scored as the Golden Eagles broke the game open in the second half, shooting 7-of-13 from the field, allowing the Blue and Gold to piece together a 19-0 run, completely swinging the afternoon's momentum. Stephens began the rally 15 seconds into the second half, and junior Graci Harris' triple in front of the John Brown bench – on an afternoon where the three ball wasn't falling for the hosts – ended the run that produced a 13-point JBU advantage, 46-33.
After a pair of free throws, the Drovers' Lainey Morrow put back a missed shot at the buzzer to register the lone USAO field goal of the period. The visitors finished the third 1-of-15 from the floor.
The momentum continued into the final quarter and, after a pair of free throws from freshman Abbey Sanders, the Golden Eagles enjoyed a game-high 16-point lead, 59-43. Science & Arts would whittle the margin down to 10, twice, but Stephens was too much inside as the team's leading scorer finished with a pair of bucks in the post down the stretch.
While the nation's top three-point shooing team – averaging 9.6 a night – finished just 5-of-24 from long range (21 percent), the Golden Eagles turned to the post play and mid-range shots, that eventually fell in the second half. John Brown out-scored the Drovers 40-22 in the paint and shot 53 percent (10-of-19) inside the arc over the final 20 minutes of action.
Eight of nine Golden Eagles that saw action scored on Saturday, paced by Stephens' 24-point, nine-rebound effort – in addition to four steals. Senior Natalie Smith shot 4-of-6 inside the arc to contribute 12 points, five rebounds and three assists. Senior Emily Sanders, Harris and Irlenborn each posted seven points in the win as JBU improved to 6-0 in Siloam Springs this season.
Crystal Ortiz hit three triples to lead a trio of double-digit Drover scorers with 14 points.
John Brown now turns its focus to Oklahoma City, who it will face Tuesday night (Jan. 23) inside Abe Lemons Arena at 6 p.m. The Golden Eagles have won four straight against the Stars, three of which came in Siloam Springs. The contest will be carried live, for a fee, on the SAC Sports Network.
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