BETHANY, Okla. -- Seniors Tarrah Stephens and Natalie Smith each scored a game-high 19 points, and the No. 13 John Brown University women's basketball team began the game on an 11-5 run, later pulling away in the second in a 62-47 win at Southwestern Christian (Okla.) on Thursday evening (Feb. 22) inside Pickens-Springer Gymnasium.
Freshman Briley Burns came off the bench to provide nine points, and the Golden Eagles' defense held the host Eagles to just 25 percent (15-of-60) shooting and 12 turnovers. JBU has now won 22 in a row and improved to 23-0 this season when holding the opposition under 40 percent shooting.
Southwestern Christian's Tresha Yager scored the game's first points, a triple, but John Brown (24-3, 21-0 Sooner Athletic) finally broke through and tied the game on Smith's first triple of the night after 3:13 of scoreless basketball. Stephen's layup on the next possession then jump-started an 11-2 run that left the hosts 1-of-9 over a 5:15 stretch, and freshman Abbey Sanders hitting a triple to help the hosts to an 11-8 lead after the first.
The Golden Eagles' three-point lead continued midway through the second period, but over the final 7:08 of the half, the visitors would pour in 4-of-6 from behind the arc, including a pair from Burns and one each from Smith and senior Emily Sanders. SCU converted on just 2-of-10 from the floor during the run, and the John Brown lead ballooned to 14 at the break.
The hosts' couldn't close to within single digits the whole second half, and a final 16-7 JBU rally in the fourth eventually built a game-high 19-point lead, 62-43, with just under three minutes to play. Smith and Stephens each scored six points during the run, including consecutive Stephens triples – both fed by Emily Sanders.
John Brown shot 51 percent (24-of-47) from the floor, marking the first time the Golden Eagles have converted over half its attempts inside Pickens-Springer Gymnasium in program history. Southwestern Christian, meanwhile, finished 7-of-35 (20 percent) inside the three-point line as JBU out-scored the hosts 20-8 in the paint.
MJ Case led SCU with 17 points off the bench, converting 6-of-6 at the free throw line, and dished out five assists. Yager finished the game with 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting from long range.
The visitors passed around the ball extremely well, surpassing its 16.7 helpers per game. John Brown boasted 20 assists on 24 field goals (83 percent), paced by eight from junior Graci Harris – tying a career high – and another six originating from Emily Sanders.
JBU returns to Siloam Springs to host Mid-America Christian (Okla.), facing the Evangels at 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 24) for Senior Day. The squads will face-off live on the SAC Sports Network as the Golden Eagles eye the first undefeated Sooner Athletic season since Oklahoma City's 16-0 run through the league in 2012-13.
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