FORT WORTH, Texas -- In a low-scoring affair in which points were at a premium, the Golden Eagles' defense allowed just 15 first-half points and paired with a lopsided second quarter culminated in the No. 13 John Brown University women's basketball team's 53-42 win over Langston (Okla.) in the Sooner Athletic Tournament finals March 5.
The tournament crown is the first in program history as the Golden Eagles (28-3) improved to 1-1 all-time in the SAC Tournament championship round.
"What a performance tonight, and it took everything we had," Coach Jeff Soderquist said after leading John Brown to a 26th consecutive win. "We've been a great defensive team all year, and we had to have it again tonight. When you play somebody three times, they know what we're doing and we know what they're doing, but both teams did well defensively tonight."
Senior Tarrah Stephens, named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, scored 15 of her game-high 26 points in the second quarter matching the Lions' (24-7) total scoring output of the first half. She also completed her fourth double-double of the season, pulling down 11 rebounds.
"(Tarrah) is just so versatile. She can post up, she can drive and she can shoot threes," Soderquist said. "She's just so difficult to guard. You have to guard her outside the three-point line and inside because she moves so well."
JBU limited the Lions to just eight offensive rebounds on 46 missed shots.
Particularly in the second quarter, the Golden Eagle defense held the two seed to 2 of 17 from the floor, and 15 of 61 (25%) on the night. The effort was the fourth-best of the season for the Golden Eagles, which have held opponents under 30% shooting four times this season.
On a night when the John Brown three-point shooting was unavailable (2 of 17), the 2023-24 SAC regular season champs leaned on its scoring depth. Seven of nine Golden Eagles scored, including key contributions from senior Leah Anderson with seven points on a 3 of 3 shooting night and six points from junior Graci Harris.
Three lead changes in the first quarter accompanied a feeling-out process as neither team shot better than 20%. Langston carried the lead into the second, but after a narrow 11-10 advantage, the Golden Eagles took over.
Already with four points in the quarter, Stephens then took over and dominated a 15-4 run that elapsed the final 6:29 of the second period that included a trio of old-fashioned three-point plays. The Lions shot 1 of 11 during the stretch, and JBU converted a one-point deficit into a 10-point lead, 25-15, at the intermission.
The squads traded buckets nearly the entirety of the third, but freshman Abbey Sanders' lone three pointer of the night came at a pivotal moment, with 39 seconds left in the third, extending the John Brown lead to 12 and offered the top seed a little more breathing room entering a fourth quarter.
The JBU defense stepped up again, holding the Lions without a point for nearly the first three minutes of the final stanza. Harris fed senior Emily Sanders for a layup and then added a pair at the free throws with 4:47 left to complete John Brown's largest lead of the game at 14, 44-30, but when senior Natalie Smith fed Anderson down court on the fast break with 2:42 left for an and-one, the Lions' comeback effort had been finally put to rest.
Smith went 4 for 4 in the final 39 seconds from the free-throw line to ensure the double-digit win.
Smith also earned All-Tournament honors, joining Stephens.
Photo courtesy of JBU Sports Information The John Brown University women's basketball team won the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament with a win over Langson (Okla.) on March 5.