FORT WORTH, Texas -- Freshman Sarah Snodgrass recorded her 18th double-double of the season, but the John Brown University women's basketball team committed 17 turnovers and attempted 15 fewer shot attempts in a 68-53 loss against Texas Wesleyan in Sooner Athletic play on Thursday night (Feb. 6) inside the Sid Richardson Center.
The Golden Eagles (12-11, 10-9 Sooner Athletic) were led by Snodgrass, who finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 6-of-17 from the floor. Sophomore Abbey Sanders added nine points on 3-of-6 shooting from deep, and senior Graci Harris also contributed nine points and three rebounds. Freshman Riley Gottsponer provided seven points, three rebounds, and a pair of blocks.
John Brown shot 41 percent (20-of-49) from the floor and hit 9-of-23 (39 percent) from behind the arc, but Texas Wesleyan (15-7, 11-7) used its defensive pressure to force 17 turnovers, leading to 25 points off miscues for the hosts. The Rams also controlled the paint, outscoring JBU 34-16 inside while posting an 11-2 edge in second-chance points.
Kameryn Phillips led Texas Wesleyan with 15 points and six rebounds, while Tayran Wills stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, nine rebounds, four steals, and five assists. Savanna Smith added 11 points and four rebounds as the Rams finished the night shooting 42 percent (27-of-64) from the field and an efficient 10-of-11 from the free-throw line.
While the visitors forced a pair of ties in the first two quarters, the Rams pieced together a wire-to-wire win in which it never trailed. Harris and Gottsponer drilled back-to-back triples late in the first half to force a 22-all tie, but a 21-0 Texas Wesleyan run that bled over into the third quarter as the visitors missed eight consecutive from the floor and committed seven miscues.
TXWES built a game-high 24-point advantage with 25 seconds left in the third, but a strong 16-4 Golden Eagle run in the fourth ate deeply into the overwhelming Ram advantage.
John Brown will look to bounce back on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 8) when it travels to Drover Fieldhouse to take on Science & Arts (Okla.) in a matinee contest, scheduled for 2 p.m. live on the SAC Sports Network.
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