MCPHERSON, Kan. -- The John Brown University men's basketball traded leads early in the night, but could not overcome a decisive first-half stretch as Central Christian secured a 77-67 decision Thursday night (Jan. 15) inside Jerry Alexander Arena.
Junior Trae Oetting led the Golden Eagles with 23 points, shooting 8-of-14 from the field, including a pair of triples, and 5-of-6 at the free-throw line. Sophomore Carter Carbonell added 13 points off the bench, knocking down 3-of-8 from beyond the arc, while senior Donovan Lovelace finished with seven points, seven rebounds, and four assists.
The opening portion of the half featured frequent changes in control. The two squads combined for five lead changes before Central Christian seized momentum. John Brown held a 15-12 lead – its last of the game – before the Tigers put together the run that defined the night.
Over a six-minute span, CCCK rattled off a 18-2 run, flipping a three-point deficit into a 30-17 lead by the 7:32 mark of the first half. During the stretch, the visitors were limited to 1-of-9 shooting from the floor and committed five turnovers. Michael Doria accounted for three three-pointers in the Tiger run, while Chris Whitten scored on multiple possessions and added trips to the free-throw line.
The hosts also extended possessions with offensive rebounds and limited mistakes, committing just one turnover during the sequence. John Brown steadied after the run and closed the half with improved offensive execution, but the early separation proved costly.
The hosts carried a 43-29 lead into the intermission after shooting 56 percent from the field and 55 percent from long range (6-of-11) in the opening 20 minutes.
The Golden Eagles responded with a stronger second half, scoring 38 points after the break, shooting 43 percent from the field (13-of-30). Oetting led the push, accounting for 15 of his team-leading scoring effort in the half as the Blue and Gold chipped away at the margin. The improved efficiency allowed the visitors to pull within three, twice, but the Tigers had a response each time as JBU never tied or led again after the first-half run.
The Tigers generated interior opportunities and second-chance points, finishing with a 38-26 rebounding advantage and 13 second-chance points. Whitten delivered the night's most impactful performance for the hosts, finishing with 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting and a perfect 8-of-8 effort at the free-throw line. He was joined in double figures by Jevarrick Butler with 13 points and Jaeden Whitten with 10, while Doria provided 12 points off the bench, fueled largely by his first-half shooting.
John Brown finished the game shooting 44 percent from the field (24-of-55) and 37 percent from three-point range (10-of-27), while Central Christian closed the night at 52 percent overall (27-of-52) and 45 percent from beyond the arc (9-of-20). The Tigers also held an edge at the line, converting 14-of-18 free throws compared to 9-of-12 for the visitors.
JBU eyes an end to its five-game skid when it takes on conference-leading Langston (Okla.) on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 17). The 4 p.m. tip will be carried live on the SAC Sports Network and the Urban Edge Network.
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