PLAINVIEW, Texas -- A blistering shooting performance by Wayland Baptist (Texas) overwhelmed the John Brown University men's basketball team, as the Golden Eagles saw its Sooner Athletic tournament run end in a 94-59 quarterfinal round loss on Thursday night (Feb. 27) inside the Hutcherson Center.
The Pioneers (17-12) shot a staggering 60 percent (34-of-75) from the floor and 52 percent from beyond the arc, pulling away early and never looking back. Wayland then went on to shoot an unfathomable 77 percent (20-of-26) in the second half as JBU (18-11) struggled to keep pace, hitting just 39 percent (20-of-51) of its shots and finishing with a minus-16 rebounding deficit (38-22).
"This was a tough one today, but you have to credit Wayland. They played really well, especially in the second half," head coach Jason Beschta admitted. "I know this was a disappointing loss for us, but I could not be more proud of this team — not just for what they have accomplished this year, but for who they have become.
"Our roots run deep with this group. They have bought in, loved one another, worked incredibly hard and had a ton of fun. They have grown in their faith and fully embraced our ultimate goal all year long: to honor and glorify God through the game we love.
"I am so thankful for the opportunity to coach these men, and I cannot say enough about our seniors, Bo and Drew. These guys are true leaders. They set the standard for all of us. They compete at the highest level without ever losing sight of the joy in the game. These guys are truly special."
Junior Elijah Lawrence led John Brown with 16 points, draining four three-pointers. Senior Drew Miller added 14 points and five rebounds, while sophomore Trae Oetting contributed 11 points and three assists.
The Golden Eagles connected on 12 triples (39 percent) but managed just 10 points in the paint against the Wayland bigs.
The Pioneers, meanwhile, put together a balanced attack, led by James Lee's 21 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Brett Leach added 20 points on an efficient 8-of-10 shooting, while Dylan McDougal and Alex Rojas each contributed 11 points.
Wayland Baptist dominated inside, finishing with 36 points in the paint, while also capitalizing on 16 JBU turnovers, converting the miscues into 24 points.
Lawrence drained a triple to open the night's scoring, but Wayland Baptist proceeded to take control, using a 11-3 run in the first five minutes to seize momentum and never looked back. The hosts' lead grew to as many as 41 late in the second half.
The Pioneers knocked down 12-of-23 from deep (52 percent) and outscored JBU 36-10 in the paint.
With the loss, John Brown now awaits its national tournament fate, with a potential NAIA National Championships at-large bid in play. The final tournament selections will be announced on March 6 at 7 p.m., with live coverage available on NAIANetwork.com and YouTube.
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.
