SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- The John Brown University women's basketball team secured a thrilling 68-59 victory over College of the Ozarks (Mo.) on Saturday afternoon at Bill George Arena.
The Golden Eagles (3-2, 1-0 Sooner Athletic), pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring the visiting Bobcats 21-13 to establish a lead they would not relinquish. While COFO would whittle the margin down to five 57 seconds left, JBU hit all four free throws in the final minute to solidify a three-game winning streak.
Freshman Sarah Snodgrass led JBU with her fourth double-double of the season before halftime with 20 points and 13 rebounds, finishing the afternoon recording 28 points and 17 rebounds on 11-of-17 shooting from the field. Freshman Caelyn Ferguson added 13 points, and Abbey Sanders chipped in 12 points while hitting 4-of-4 chances at the charity stripe. JBU's defense also held strong, registering four blocks and limiting the visitors to just eight second-chance points despite allowing 17 offensive rebounds.
The game opened with the Golden Eagles jumping out to a 15-9 lead after the first quarter, fueled by Sarah Snodgrass's dominance in the paint. She posted 10 of her 20 first-half points in the opening period, as JBU held the Bobcats to just 20 percent shooting from the field. In the second quarter, College of the Ozarks started to find its rhythm offensively as Logan Jones sparked a 9-2 run midway through the period, trimming JBU's lead to just two, 22-20. The hosts responded with a timely bucket from freshman Laci Scott and a three-pointer by Snodgrass, heading into halftime with a 31-27 advantage.
Coming out of the break, JBU took control of the game. The third quarter was all Golden Eagles, as the hosts outscored the Bobcats 21-13 behind a 57 percent (8-of-14) shooting effort. Freshman Caelyn Ferguson contributed seven of her 13 points in the quarter, helping JBU build a double-digit lead, 52-40, via a period-closing 12-3 run.
In the final quarter, the visitors attempted to mount a comeback behind a combined 11 points from Keara Mattingley and Avery Arnold, cutting the Golden Eagles' lead to single digits with under two minutes to play. However, JBU made 7-of-9 free throws in the quarter to maintain its lead.
The Golden Eagles shot 45 percent from the field (24-of-53), outpacing the Bobcats' 33 percent (25-of-75). The home team dominated the paint, 42-28, and converted over double the number of free throw attempts the visitors took, as JBU finished 14-of-18 from the line.
For College of the Ozarks (2-3, 0-1 SAC), Logan Jones led the way with 14 points, including 10 in the first half. Susana Moran and Mattingley both posted double-doubles, with Moran tallying 11 points and 13 rebounds and Mattingley contributing 11 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Despite the efforts, the road team struggled to capitalize on its opportunities, especially in transition, where it managed just seven fast break points despite 13 Blue and Gold miscues.
The contest marked the first time the two sides met in conference action with the Bobcats joining the Sooner Athletic Conference in the summer of 2024.
The Golden Eagles will return to Bill George Arena on Thursday night (Nov. 21) when John Brown welcomes Mid-America Christian (Okla.) for a 6 p.m. tip. Fans can catch all the action live on the SAC Sports Network.
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