SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- Sophomore Abbey Sanders poured in seven triples for the second time this season, and freshman Caelyn Ferguson added another three triples en route to her sixth-straight double-digit scoring effort to propel the John Brown University women's basketball team to a hard-fought 78-77 victory over Texas Wesleyan on Thursday evening (Dec. 5) inside Bill George Arena.
The Golden Eagles (5-4, 3-2 Sooner Athletic) led by as many as 10 late in the game after a Ferguson old-fashioned three-point play, but the Rams (7-2, 3-2) closed the game on a 14-5 run, but a triple at the buzzer couldn't save the visitors that were down by four on the final possession, allowing John Brown to exit with the one-point win.
JBU shot 45 percent from the field (27-of-60) and an impressive 52 percent from long range (13-of-25) – the first time the Golden Eagles have shot over 50 percent from behind the arc this season. At the free-throw line, the Blue and Gold converted 85 percent (11-of-13) to clinch the nail-biting victory.
Sanders, along with eight boards, led JBU with a team-high 21 points on a scorching 7-of-9 effort from behind the arc. Ferguson contributed 16 points, shooting 5-of-5 from the charity stripe, while freshman Sarah Snodgrass added her third-consecutive double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
The hosts got off to a quick start, opening the game with a barrage of triples – Sanders accounted for 18 of JBU's 42 first-half points, hitting six treys. However, Texas Wesleyan responded with a 9-3 run late in the second quarter to cut the deficit to seven at halftime.
JBU's offense cooled in the third quarter, with Texas Wesleyan capitalizing on second-chance opportunities to take a 56-55 lead heading into the final frame. The Blue and Gold responded with an 18-7 run to begin the fourth quarter, paced by six points from Ferguson, to enjoy a 10-point advantage before the furious TXWES comeback effort.
The visiting Rams were led by Kameryn Phillips' dominant 22-point outing on 9-of-13 shooting. Tayran Wills added 14 points and six rebounds, while Sophia Hurtado contributed 13 points and seven boards.
JBU outperformed Texas Wesleyan in bench production, tallying 18 points to the Rams' 14, while limiting the visitors to just five fast-break points. The Golden Eagles also converted 15 points off 12 Texas Wesleyan turnovers. The Rams nearly made JBU pay dearly for its 20 turnovers by scoring 21 points off the hosts' miscues.
John Brown returns to action Saturday afternoon (Dec. 7), hosting Science & Arts (Okla.) at Bill George Arena. With a scheduled 2 p.m. tipoff, fans can follow the action live on the SAC Sports Network.
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