JBU women struggle offensively
The offensive struggles John Brown’s women have dealt with during the first part of their season resurfaced again Thursday night.
The Golden Eagles continue to search for their first Sooner Athletic Conference win of the season as they dropped a 61-46 decision to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma during Thursday’s game in Bill George Arena.
While USAO (8-4, 3-1) outscored JBU (4-8, 0-3) 24-14 in the third quarter to pull away, Golden Eagles coach Jeff Soderquist points to the second and fourth quarters as his team failed to score at least 10 points in those two quarters.
“We’ve consistently had an issue where we usually have two quarters where we score single digits,” Soderquist said. “It’s not always the same two quarters. The second and fourth quarters, we score single digits, but we were still in the game in the third quarter until we stopped and they scored.”
JBU (4-8, 0-3) managed only eight points in the second quarter and trailed 28-25 at halftime, but Jordan Martin’s 3-pointer with 5:46 left in the third quarter gave the Golden Eagles a 35-34 lead. JBU, however, failed to get another bucket for the remainder of the third quarter.
USAO (8-4, 3-1) regained the lead moments later with Reyna Ammons’ three-point play. Ally
Teague hit two free throws but the Drovers answered with 12 unanswered points for a 52-37 lead before Tarrah Stephens closed out the third quarter with two free throws. JBU then used Marta Matamala’s 3-pointer to pull within 42-32 to start the fourth quarter, but the Golden Eagles didn’t get any closer.
“We had another conference game where we lost 53-50 and now we score 46,” said Soderquist, whose team struggled with shot-clock violations. “You’re just not going to win in this league unless you’re scoring in the 60s or higher.
“This group has had a hard time grasping some execution and learning to adjust to some things. We’ve just got to get better in execution. We’re standing around and nobody knows what to do, then all of a sudden we have a shotclock violation.”
Stephens led the Golden Eagles with 16 points, while Matamala chipped in 11. Khady Sene had 16 points and 12 rebounds to lead four USAO players in double figures, followed by Nadorjaye Cage with 15, Ammons with 14 and Tori James with 12.
USAO 61, John Brown 46
USAO 18 10 24 9 — 61 John Brown 17 8 14 7 — 46 USAO (8-4, 3-1): Sene 16, Cage 15, Ammons 14, James 12, Carrera 2, Palmer 2.
John Brown (4-8, 0-3): Stephens 16, Matamala 11, Altman 5, Fergen 4, Martin 3, Williams 3, Teague 2, James 2.