JBU’s streak, season come to end with loss in tourney
SILOAM SPRINGS — The clock struck midnight on a storybook season for the John Brown University women’s basketball team Saturday afternoon.
Indiana Tech won its 23rd consecutive game and ended the Golden Eagles’ 27-game win streak with a 52-43 victory in the second round of the NAIA Women’s National Tournament at Bill George Arena.
Indiana Tech (30-3) advances to the Round of 16 final site in Sioux City, Iowa, where the Warriors will play Briar Cliff (Iowa) at 8 p.m. Friday.
“That’s a really good basketball team we just played,” Indiana Tech Coach Jessie Biggs said. “I think we’re very similar. Play defense well, run a five-out spread offense. I love their offense, and so, you know it comes down to a little bit of luck and how the ball rolls your way and what time. It just happened to be our day today. They’re a really good basketball team. You know I’m just proud of our players for gutting it out and playing four quarters.”
John Brown finished the season at 29-4 — the most wins in program history — which included an undefeated run in the Sooner Athletic Conference regular season and SAC Tournament championship.
“Historic, one of the best years in JBU history,” JBU Coach Jeff Soderquist said. “Unreal, so proud of the girls.”
The loss was JBU’s first defeat since losing to St. Thomas (Fla.) 76-57 on Nov. 17 in Lakeland, Fla. Ironically, Indiana Tech defeated St. Thomas 69-39 on Friday in the opening round in Siloam Springs.
Following the season-ending loss Saturday, Soderquist said the message to the team was a simple one.
“I just said ‘end of the seasons are always hard, but you guys need to walk out of here with your head up,’ ” Soderquist said. “‘You guys are going down as one of the best JBU basketball teams ever in the history of JBU.’ What a season. We’ve got to be proud, and we’ve got to walk out of here with our heads up. It’s literally been one of the best seasons in JBU history.”
Early, it looked like John Brown might be on the road to extending its season one more game. The Golden Eagles led 9-2 midway through the first quarter after Emily Sanders buried a three-pointer in the corner.
Graci Harris added a three-pointer from the top of the key as JBU took a 14-7 lead after the first quarter.
Indiana Tech, which hit 3 of 15 (20%) from the field in the first quarter and missed all six of its three-point shots, fell behind 21-9 in the second quarter after a Tarrah Stephens basket inside for JBU.
But the Warriors ended the first half on a 11-2 run to pull within 23-20 at halftime.
Erika Foy, who led Indiana Tech with 23 points, had six of those points in that stretch.
Foy went back to work at the start of the third quarter, scoring seven consecutive points as the Warriors took their first lead of the game. Juliana Burris hit two free throws to put Indiana Tech up 29-25 with 5:45 left.
JBU responded with a 5-0 run with a three-pointer from Briley Burns and a basket from Bella Irlenborn to go back up 30-29, but the lead would be short-lived.
Burris scored with 3:41 remaining in the third quarter for a 31-30 Indiana Tech lead. The Warriors would never trail again.
Indiana Tech took a 39-34 lead into the fourth quarter and led by as many as nine twice. JBU did cut the deficit to 44-41 with 2:02 remaining on a three-point play from Irlenborn, but the Golden Eagles couldn’t get closer.
After hitting 10 of 29 shots (34.5%) from the field in the first half, JBU only hit 5 of 30 (16.7%) in the second half, including just 1 of 16 from behind the threepoint line.
“We just couldn’t hit shots today, and that’s the name of the game,” Soderquist said.
Irlenborn led JBU with 12 points, while Stephens and Sanders each had eight.
Indiana Tech, meanwhile, finished 17 of 55 from the field but did hit 9 of 24 (37.5%) in the second half. Burris added 13 points to go with Foy’s game-high 23 points and 9 rebounds, while Taylor Covington had 10. The Warriors have not lost since falling to Indiana Wesleyan 64-38 on Dec. 30.
“You know it started off a little rough in the beginning, which I think every team wants to be playing well in March and their best basketball now,” Biggs said, “and I think that’s what we’re doing.”