SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- Behind a game-high 22 points from junior Elijah Lawrence and a barrage of three-pointers, the John Brown University men's basketball team powered past Oklahoma City, 103-53, in Sooner Athletic Conference action on Monday night (Jan. 20) inside Bill George Arena.
The Golden Eagles (12-6, 10-4 Sooner Athletic) controlled the game from start to finish, hitting 5-of-7 from deep in the first 5:30 of the contest, and shoot an impressive 52 percent (40-of-77) from the field. Just one shy of tying the all-time single-game record, the hosts splashed 20-of-42 attempts from behind the arc – the most since Nov. 18, 2004 against Oklahoma Wesleyan.
The JBU defense stifled the shorthanded Stars (10-10, 6-10), which were limited to seven healthy players, holding the visitors to just 35 percent shooting and forcing 15 turnovers. The offense, meanwhile, boasted six double-digit scorers.
Lawrence led the way for JBU with 22 points on an efficient 8-of-14 shooting performance, including six triples. He added four rebounds, four assists, and three steals in a well-rounded effort. Sophomore Trae Oetting, the reigning SAC Offensive Player of the Week, chipped in 19 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, while senior Drew Miller tallied 15 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
JBU's bench also played a key role, contributing 33 points, led by a pair of career-best efforts from junior Trisan Batie (15 points) and freshman Jack Ullom (14 points). Junior LePra George Jr. added a trio of triples and finished with 12 points as the Blue and Gold broke the century mark for the third time this season.
JBU dominated from the opening tip, using a 16-2 run to open the game. Lawrence knocked down a pair of triples during the stretch, while Oetting and George each added a bucket from behind the arc. By halftime, the Golden Eagles held a 58-30 advantage, marking its second-highest scoring half of the season.
In the second half, JBU continued its dominance, outscoring the Stars 45-23. Miller's triple midway through the half extended the lead to 30 points, and back-to-back Batie triples from the corner pushed the margin to 40 with seven minutes remaining. The Golden Eagles reached their largest lead of the night, 50 points, on a late Oetting triple with just under two minutes to play.
Beau Tranter paced the Stars with a team-high 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting and added eight rebounds. James Cloud contributed nine points and six rebounds, while Lawrence Taylor Jr. finished with eight points, two rebounds, and two assists in the loss.
JBU's ball movement produced 30 assists on 40 made field goals (75 percent) and recorded 13 steals and four blocks. The Stars managed just seven assists and were out-rebounded 47-30, including an 18-9 advantage on the offensive glass for JBU.
The Golden Eagles return to action on Thursday night (Jan. 25) in McPherson, Kan., when John Brown takes on Central Christian (Kan.) in a 7:45 p.m. tipoff from Jerry Alexander Arena. The tilt will air live on the SAC Sports Network.
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