SILOAM SPRINGS, Okla. – Things couldn't have started much better for the Wayland Baptist Pioneers in Saturday afternoon's Sooner Athletic Conference game against John Brown University. Then they couldn't have gotten any worse.
Wayland opened the game on a 16-2 run, only to see John Brown answer with 26 straight points as the ninth-ranked Golden Eagles went on to post a 72-60 victory.
The Pioneers (18-10, 10-8 SAC), ranked the equivalent of 30
th in the NAIA, went to Arkansas riding a four-game winning streak. Things looked very promising for No. 5 when Wayland opened a 14-point lead over the first eight minutes of Saturday's game.
But Wayland's early surge ended and the Golden Eagles (25-3, 16-2) turned the tables as they hit four 3-pointers during an incredible 26-0 spurt when the Pioneers went scoreless for some 10 minutes and fell behind 28-16.
The closest Wayland came after that was seven points, 41-34, midway through the second half. From there JBU went on an 11-4 run to double its lead. The Golden Eagles held off the Pioneers at the free throw line as they went 14-of-16 from the charity stripe over the final 5 ½ minutes, including 9-of-10 in the final 1:40.
JBU ended 28-of-32 at the line (88 percent), compared to Wayland's 7-of-13 (54 percent). The Golden Eagles also hit 8-of-16 3-pointers (50 percent), while the Pioneers were 7-of-23 (30 percent).
J.J. Culver led Wayland with 18 points, eight rebounds, six steals and three assists.
Jack Nobles added 10 points.
Kiree Hutchings hit 5-of-7 3s and put in a game-best 22 points for JBU. Luke Harper tacked on 11 points, while Densier Carnes pulled down 11 of his team's 31 rebounds.
Wayland held a 33-31 rebounding edge, allowing the Golden Eagles just three offensive boards. Each team turned the ball over 18 times.
The Pioneers return home for their final two regular-season games, first against Oklahoma City (14-14, 6-12) at 7:45 p.m. Thursday. The Stars this week fell to second-ranked Mid-America Christian, 99-92 on the road, and USAO, 76-70 at home.
Wayland defeated OCU, 68-54, when the teams met in their second conference game back on Nov. 23, when the Pioneers were ranked No. 3.
