SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- Junior Elijah Lawrence scored 18 points and the Golden Eagle defense limited Langston (Okla.) to a 32 percent shooting effort in the second half as the John Brown University men's basketball team held off No. 8 Langston (Okla.) for a 63-56 win on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 25) inside Bill George Arena.
Lawrence's 18 points paced a trio of Golden Eagles in double-digit scoring, and the hosts hit 17-of-22 from the line to help overcome an uncharacteristic three-point shooting night where JBU finished just 4-of-24 (17 percent).
The Golden Eagles (13-7, 11-5 Sooner Athletic) built momentum early, riding Lawrence's 14 first-half points to take a 36-30 lead into halftime. JBU converted on 56 percent of its first-half shots (15-of-27), including three triples, while Langston (15-5, 11-5 SAC) struggled to find its rhythm offensively throughout the game, shooting just 36.2 percent from the floor and 10 percent (2-of-20) from beyond the arc.
Lawrence added six rebounds and two assists, while sophomore Trae Oetting delivered a pivotal all-around performance with 15 points, eight rebounds, four steals, and hitting 9-of-10 at the charity stripe. Junior LePra George Jr. added 12 points and a team-leading four assists. The JBU bench also played an important role, chipping in 19 points, including seven from senior Boaz Camp, who also grabbed three rebounds in just 14 minutes of action before fouling out.
Defensively, the Golden Eagles put together an impressive performance. Langston entered the game averaging 70 points per game and shooting 45 percent from the field. The Blue and Gold limited the Lions to 14 points below its average and nine points shy of its normal shooting effort – ultimately LU's lowest scoring output of the season.
The Lions managed just 26 points in the second half, failing to hit a three-pointer in 11 attempts after the break.
Senior Drew Miller's triple at the 6:03 mark of the second half built a 10-point advantage for the hosts, but was also the last field goal of the game for John Brown, but the Golden Eagles worked to the line and connected on 12-of-13 in the final minutes of the game to stem the potential comeback effort.
While only grabbing one more board than the Lions, on the offensive glass, JBU outworked Langston with a 10-7 edge, creating second-chance opportunities. The Blue and Gold also turned 12 Langston turnovers into nine points and won the turnover battle. JBU's ability to move the ball also played a key role, as the team assisted on 14 of its 21 (67 percent) made field goals.
The Lions leaned heavily on Joshua Smith, who recorded a game-high 21 points and added nine rebounds in a losing effort. Jamison Epps contributed six points and eight rebounds, and Amoro Lado and Daylon Andrews each contributed seven points apiece. Despite the shooting difficulties, the Lions managed to close within two points midway through the final frame, 44-42, but back-to-back midrange jumpers from Lawrence and junior Josh Stewart powered an 11-3 response from the Golden Eagles, giving the hosts enough cushion in the final minutes.
With the win, the Golden Eagles broke a six-game losing skid to the Lions and also remain just 2.5 games behind SAC-leading Wayland Baptist (Texas) and Nelson (Texas) as the top five seeds are still just separated by 2.5 games.
John Brown will now hit the road on Thursday night (Jan. 30) to take on Mid-America Christian (Okla.) inside the Gaulke Activity Center. Carried live on the SAC Sports Network, the game is slated to tip at 7:45 p.m.
FOLLOW THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Don't miss a minute of the latest action surrounding JBU Athletics by following the Golden Eagles on Twitter (@JBUathletics), Instagram (@JBUathletics) and Facebook (/JBUathletics). Catch every Golden Eagle home game and select away games on the SAC Sports Network, available online or for download on your favorite streaming device.
