Hot Shooting From Beyond the Arc Vaults JBU to 66-61 Upset of No. 22 Oklahoma City
SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. (January 3, 2013) - Three Golden Eagles notched three triples as John Brown handed No. 22 Oklahoma City a 66-61 setback Thursday night at Bill George Arena in JBU's Sooner Athletic Conference opener.
The loss was OCU's first against NAIA competition as it sends the Stars to 7-2 (0-1 SAC) on the season while John Brown rebounds from back-to-back losses in California, upping its record to 12-3 and 1-0 in conference play.
Senior guard Coleson Rakestraw, freshman forward Kofi Josephs and senior guard E.J. McWoods each drained three shots from beyond the arc, propelling the Golden Eagles to a 47.8 percent shooting (11-of-23) from three-point range. Sophomore forward Max Hopfgartner added two triples.
Four players landed in double-digits as McWoods posted a game-high 17 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field alongside a 4-of-6 effort at the free throw line. Hopfgartner finished the game with 12 points while Josephs added 11. Rakestraw chipped in with 10 points.
After McWoods tied the contest at nine, the Golden Eagles went on a 9-0 run, building an 18-9 advantage at the 9:08 mark of the first half. The lead would later balloon to 12 as Rakestraw's triple off an OCU turnover gave JBU the 25-13 lead.
Up by 10 points (27-17), the Stars made the final two baskets of the first half, closing the gap to six as the teams headed into the intermission.
After a pair of Oklahoma City free throws to open the second frame, back-to-back treys by Josephs reestablished the John Brown lead to 10 (33-23).
The lead would hover around 10 through the middle stages of the second half until a three-pointer by Rakestraw and a turn-around layup by Hopfgartner pushed the Blue and Gold lead to 14 with just over six minutes left to play.
OCU would make a late push, however, scoring six straight points over a 2:04 span to pull within six (61-55) with 1:11 remaining in the game. Four McWoods free throws kept the Stars at bay as JBU held onto the 66-61 victory.
While Oklahoma City held the advantage in points in the paint (24-18), second chance points (5-4) and points off turnover (13-12), the Golden Eagle bench proved the difference as JBU reserves outscored its opponents by a 23-12 margin.
John Brown will return to the hardwood on Tuesday, Jan. 8, when it travels to Chickasha, Okla. to face No. 14 Science & Arts (8-1, 1-0 SAC). Tip-off is slated for 8:00 p.m.
