MACU rides hot start past JBU
Mid-America Christian scorched the nets in the first quarter to open up a double-digit lead and that hot start was enough as the Evangels held off a JBU rally in the fourth quarter for an 83-75 victory.
The Evangels (15-6, 8-4) hit 12 of 16 (75 percent) of their shots, including 3 of 4 from behind the 3-point line, and led 28-17 after the first quarter. MACU came back to earth to shoot 59.4 percent (19 of 32) for the first half, but the Evangels still had a 47-32 lead. Lexi Hernandez hit all seven of her shots from the field in the first half, including five treys, and had 19 of her 24 points.
“I thought we came out really strong,” said MACU coach Hannah Moeller. “Lexi Hernandez shot it so phenomenally in the first half that it just helped us get some momentum gong really early.”
MACU led by as many as 18 in the fourth quarter, but John Brown pulled within six with 41.5 seconds left after a three-point play by Marta Matamala, capping a 13-3 run.
After MACU missed a pair of free throws, the Golden Eagles had a chance to cut the lead to three but couldn’t get another basket to fall.
“We just dug ourselves a hole,” said JBU assistant coach Von Eshnaur, who coached the team with Jeff Soderquist out with an illness. “Of course we missed some easy shots that you can’t miss when you’re behind. I felt like we were doing some good things offensively in the second half and getting the ball in there, getting some offensive rebounds and we just couldn’t finish at times.”
Alexis Shannon and Loralei Siliga each added 17 points for MACU.
Matamala led JBU (6-14, 2-9) with 24 points, while Ally Teague had 17 and Tarrah Stephens 11.
MACU 83, John Brown 75
Mid-America Christian 28 19 17 19 — 83 John Brown 17 15 16 27 — 75 Mid-America Christian (15-6, 8-4): Hernandez 24, Shannon 17, Siliga 17, Ozoani 9, Tapps 6, Endsley 4, Kash 3, Fairley 2, Wycoff 1.
John Brown (6-14, 2-9): Matamala 24, Teague 17, Stephens 11, Fergen 8, Williams 7, Altman 4, Martin 2, James 2.