JBU’s defense suffocates Southwestern Christian

SOONER ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

JOHN BROWN 70, SOUTHWESTERN CHRISTIAN 43

SILOAM SPRINGS — The NAIA’s top 3-point-shooting team didn’t have its best night from long range Thursday, but the John Brown women found other ways to get the job done in their first game of 2017.

JBU struggled to an 8-of-28 performance from behind the line, but the Golden Eagles went 16 of 28 from inside the arc and played strong defensively in a 70-43 victory over Southwestern Christian in a Sooner Athletic Conference game at Bill George Arena.

JBU (10-4, 2-1 SAC) came into the game leading the nation with a team 3-point percentage of 44.8 percent (146 of 326) and second in 3-pointers made with 146. But the Golden Eagles struggled to hit shots from deep, going 4 of 14 in each half.

But there was nothing wrong with the Golden Eagles’ defense.

JBU held Southwestern Christian (8-5, 1-2) to 17 of 63 from the field (27 percent) and just 3 of 26 from behind the 3-point line.

John Brown head coach Jeff Soderquist was especially pleased with the Golden Eagles’ effort defensively in the first half when Southwestern Christian only hit 7 of 34 shots (20.6 percent) from the field and 1 of 15 from deep. JBU led 32-18 at halftime.

“I thought that first half we took a step forward defensively,” Soderquist said. “Both teams — they’re a better shooting team than that and we’re a better shooting team than that. Both teams probably missed some shots they’d normally make, but I still thought there were a lot of good things we did defensively in that first half.”

The Golden Eagles led 10-2 early after a hot start, scoring on their first five possessions.

Southwestern Christian closed within 12-9, but Preslea Reece hit a 3-pointer to end the first quarter and give the Golden Eagles a 15-9 lead.

JBU pulled ahead by double digits in the second quarter and led by 14 at halftime after Jana Schammel scored the last seven points of the half.

Schammel continued that personal run in the second half with five more points and led JBU in scoring with 16 points.

“We need her,” Soderquist said of Schammel. “We don’t need to just rely on Kodee (Powell) and Baily (Cameron) and some of our post players. We need (Schammel) to have a good second run here.”

JBU led 51-38 going into the fourth quarter and outscored Southwestern Christian 19-5 in the stanza.

Baily Cameron and Preslea Reece each scored 13 points for JBU, while Luize Skrastina added 10 points of the bench, including a pair of 3-pointers.

Due to early press deadlines Thursday night, the result of the men’s game was not available at presstime.

John Brown returns to action Saturday at Wayland Baptist (Texas). The women’s game is at 1 p.m. followed by the men’s game at 3 p.m.