JBU comes up short in SAC title game

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — John Brown senior forward Josh Bowling had a good look at it.

Trailing by one point with 4.6 seconds to go, Bowling took the in-bounds pass, dribbled down the right sideline past his man, giving himself an open look just beyond the 3-point line. Bowling’s shot came up just short off the front of the rim, giving OCU (21-10) the 74-73 win over Bowling and No. 18 JBU (2310) to win the Sooner Athletic Conference Championship.

“I tried to get a good look and got a good look,” said Bowling, who finished with 13 points. “Just didn’t hit it.”

Saturday’s championship game had 12 lead changes, going back and forth from start to finish. The Golden Eagles fell behind early in the first half 27-18, before ending the half on a 19-7 run. In the second half, John Brown gained an 11-point lead, which quickly disappeared after an 8-0 run from OCU. Junior forward Quintin Bailey led the way for the Golden Eagles with a career-high 18 points, while senior guard and SAC Player of the Year runner-up Jake Caudle added 15.

Down the stretch, both teams traded baskets until Caudle had a chance with two free throws to tie the game at 72 with 17 seconds to go. He made the first and missed the second, but thanks to a Bowling offensive rebound and two made free throws after an OCU foul, John Brown took a one-point lead with 12 seconds to go. But a quick layup from OCU’s Trae Bryant would wipe out Bowling’s late-game heroics and John Brown’s chance at winning its first SAC championship since 2010.

This is the third time John Brown has fallen to OCU this season, after giving up a 17-point lead in an 82-81 loss the last time these two met. But Saturday’s game no doubt stung just a little more.

“We made it all the way to the championship and had a chance late to do something special with it. We can’t ask for a lot more than the opportunities we had in this one,” John Brown coach Jason Beschta said. “We had to remind the guys after this one that we know this hurts, but we’re still checking off one more box: We’re going to Kansas City.”

Despite the loss, John Brown is still expected to make the NAIA Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament in Kansas City, Mo., from March 20-26. This would mark John Brown’s eighth NAIA tournament appearance in program history and its first since 2013.

For seniors Caudle and Bowling, not only making the NAIA tournament but also making a run in it, will help ease the pain of Saturday’s heartbreaking loss.

“It’s disappointing, but the season’s not over. We have to find the silver lining in this,” Bowling said. “We have to come back and work hard these next 2½ weeks. We have be ready for the national tournament. We have bigger things to shoot for.”

John Brown will find out its fate March 13 when the NAIA tournament bracket is officially released. For now, Beschta and his team will continue to look toward the future instead of dwelling on the past.

“This one hurts. Guys are going to remember this one. They’re going to remember the heartbreak” Beschta said. “But down the road, guys will also remember the process and what it took to get here. These guys have been doing some special things all year. … And we think there’s still some special things out there for us.”