Late-game heroics not enough; Golden Eagles edged out of 4-0 start
SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- Despite pulling within 61-60 with 64 seconds left, the John Brown University women's basketball team was unable to undo its fourth-quarter squandering of a lead, allowing the College of the Ozarks (Mo.) to claim a 62-60 win inside Bill George Arena on Saturday (Nov. 12) afternoon.
What started as a four-point lead to begin the final stanza, 47-43, a 10-4 Bobcat run tied the contest at 53, and the Golden Eagles (3-1) were unable to score over the next pivotal 2:53, allowing Ozarks to take a 61-53 lead over the span. Sophomore Baily Cameron turned a junior Kimmy Deines steal into a layup with 1:46 left and after a timely Cameron offensive rebound, senior Kodee Powell's triple pulled the hosts all the way within one, 61-60.
After both teams missed opportunities, the Bobcats set out to inbound the ball eight seconds left. Employing the full-court press and about to foul, Cameron created a turnover and quickly turned toward the bucket for the win. Despite the chance to win the game, Cameron, on her way to the bucket, was whistled for a charge deflating almost all hopes of a comeback.
But Ozarks (6-1) almost gave JBU another chance.
Fouling the inbounds, Ozarks' Hannah Wisdom split at the line, allowing JBU a last-second chance to heave a triple to win it. Instead, JBU turned the ball over, all but assuring a Bobcat victory.
The ensuing inbounds by Ozarks seemed to have sailed over every player, giving the Golden Eagles another chance, but after officials conferred, it was determined that a player touched the ball and the clock should have expired before the loose ball landed out of bounds.
Powell shot 5-of-8 from the field to finish with 14 points and five boards while junior Kimmy Deines added her second-straight double-digit scoring game, finishing with 10 points, hitting 7-of-8 from the line. Cameron was held to a 2-of-9 mark from the floor, but still managed to scrape up nine points in the loss.
The Golden Eagles shot poorly from the floor, hitting just 17-of-53 chances (32.1 percent), its lowest scoring efficiency of the season. Ozarks, meanwhile, converted 22-of-53 opportunities from the field (41.5 percent) and knocked down 13-of-18 from the line.
All four teams in the Quality Inn Classic finished with a 1-1 record as No. 19 Oklahoma City was knocked off in the 1 p.m. game by Lindenwood – Belleville (Ill.) one day after the Golden Eagles recorded a seven-point win over the Lynx.
John Brown will now embark on a five-game road swing, ranging from Pt. Lookout, Mo. to Little Rock, Ark. to Jackson, Tenn. JBU will return to action on Tuesday (Nov. 15) when it takes on Philander Smith (Ark.) at 5 p.m.
