Shooting Efficiency Helps Women’s Basketball Blitz St. Gregory’s
SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. (January 28, 2016) -- Three John Brown women's basketball (12-9, 5-4 SAC) players scored over 15 points and the Golden Eagles hit 60 percent of its shots from the field in a convincing 76-41 win over St. Gregory's (Okla.) on Thursday (Jan. 28) evening inside Bill George Arena.
Senior Sofia Mendoza came off the bench to provide 11 valuable minutes, scoring 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the floor and recorded three of JBU’s four blocks on the evening. The Golden Eagles, which improved to 10-1 at home, received a game-high 17 points from both senior Brooke Barker and freshman Baily Cameron. Both shot efficiently as Barker hit 8-of-13 while Cameron sank 7-of-10 from the field.
The Cavaliers (6-12, 3-6 SAC), which have now dropped four of five, were victims of a relentless John Brown passing attack to the tune of 24 assists on 33 field goals (72.7 percent), led by junior Kodee Powell’s six assists, which equaled a feat done six times now this season. Cameron dished out a career-best five helpers while sophomore Courtney Fine and Jana Schammel each added a pair.
Cameron nearly missed her second-career double-double by pulling down nine boards, helping the Golden Eagles to a 38-24 advantage on the glass. With the win, JBU moves to 11-2 on the year when winning the battle on the boards and overcame the 70-point threshold to avoid a 1-7 record when scoring 70 or less.
Already sporting an 8-3 lead in the first half, Mendoza exacted herself on the Cavaliers to the tune of eight points in the final 3:24 of the first half, including an and-one, to build an 18-5 Golden Eagle lead.
Up by as many as 15, 20-5, a quick 7-0 SGU rally midway through the second quarter was against stifled by Mendoza, who posted two buckets on three attempts late in the quarter. Cameron hit another field goal after a Schammel steal and sophomore Kimmy Deines split a pair at the line to maintain a 10-point cushion, 40-30, at the break.
Baily and Barker took over the third quarter, helping the hosts outscore the Cavaliers 24-6 in the stanza. Barker scored eight of her 17 in the period while Baily added six.
A Preslea Reece triple and an old-fashioned trey from Barker ballooned the lead to 32, 64-32, until Baily’s triple at the 2:54 mark expanded the lead to 35. Freshman Allie Pack hit a layup in transition on the next possession to push the lead to a game-high 37 before a pair of Cavalier free throws ended the contest.
Although shooting just 3-of-12 from behind the arc, JBU had its most effective game of the season inside the arc, hitting 30-of-43 (69.8 percent). St. Gregory’s could manage just 15 field goals on 57 attempts (26.3 percent) but, more importantly, the Golden Eagle defense held the conference’s top three-point shooting team to just 2-of-21 (9.5 percent) from behind the arc.
Kylee Tatum led the Cavs with 12 points while Ashleigh Sparks had 11 points and six boards. Courtney Leach totaled 10 first-half tallies in the loss for SGU.
JBU will now continue its three-game homestand with a date with No. 14 Oklahoma City on Saturday (Jan. 30). City is coming off a difficult 82-67 loss at home, its first of the season, to No. 21 Wayland Baptist (Texas). Tip is scheduled for 3 p.m.
