SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. - Saturday's game between the Mid-America Christian University and John Brown University women's basketball teams was a tale of two teams and what they were able to do behind the 3-point arc. One team was able to connect on numerous big shots from deep, and the other missed their final 10 attempts from beyond the arc.
MACU (10-4, 4-4 SAC) did not make a 3-point shot in the second half, while JBU (11-5, 7-2 SAC) shot nearly 52% from deep in the game, and while MACU battled back to make it closer in the fourth quarter, JBU won comfortably, 86-71.
JBU struck first on a 3-pointer with 17 seconds elapsed in the game, and whilt MACU twice cut the deficit to a single point in the next two minutes, the Golden Eagles kept the lead, and the first quarter was full of JBU offense. JBU made 10 shots in the opening frame, including seven 3-pointers, as they poured in 30 points in the frame. MACU shot the 3-ball at a 40% clip in the opening quarter, but they were not able to match JBU's pace on the offensive end, and with 10 minutes gone in the game, JBU led 30-20. The Evangels were able to tighten the defense slightly in the second quarter, but MACU's offense scuffled in the period. Alexis Shannon was the only player for MACU to score more than once in the frame, and at the intermission, MACU trailed 52-32.
The second half saw the Evangels' offense begin to awaken, but JBU kept MACU from making any dent in the deficit in the third quarter. MACU opened the second half on a 7-3 spurt to trim the deficit to 17, but JBU pulled out to a 24-point lead after three periods of play. MACU closed the margin in the fourth, but JBU bled the clock at every opportunity, taking away the opportunity for the Evangels to get back in the game, and the Golden Eagles took the win 86-71.
Shaylan Coleman led all scorers in the game with 20 points, and Shannon added 14 points and a team-leading seven rebounds. Jennah Coffman had four assists in the game, and Coffman and Coleman each stole the ball three times. As a team, MACU made 31 of 78 (39.7%) shots in the game, but they connected on only 6 of 27 (22.2%) 3-point tries, and MACU only got to the foul line for five attempts, where they made three (60%).
MACU will play twice more on the road next week. The first of those games will be north of Oklahoma City on Thursday night when the Evangels head to Langston University (7-9, 2-6 SAC). Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
