SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. --- Wayland Baptist came out firing in Thursday night's Sooner Athletic Conference opener, but a huge second quarter from John Brown University proved too much to overcome as the Flying Queens fell, 80–62, on the road.
Wayland (0–5, 0–1 SAC) controlled the first quarter with energy, defensive pressure, and efficient scoring inside the paint. The Queens opened the game on a 10–2 run, fueled by standout guard
Cania Mitchell, who tallied multiple early steals and buckets to set the tone. WBU outscored JBU 18–14 in the opening frame and looked confident on both ends.
But the Golden Eagles flipped the momentum in the second quarter. JBU shot a blistering 62.5% from the field and hit four threes while holding Wayland to just 12 points. The Queens briefly maintained a lead at 27–24, but John Brown surged ahead with a 15–3 run to close the half, sending WBU into the locker room trailing 39–30.
Mitchell delivered one of her best performances of the season, pouring in 20 points, grabbing five rebounds, and collecting five steals—a stat line that kept Wayland within striking distance for much of the night.
Bella Dabbs added 10 points, including a fourth-quarter three that helped spark a brief comeback push. Forward
Zalika Stevens provided a lift off the bench with six points and strong defensive minutes.
The biggest challenge for the Queens came on the glass, where John Brown out-rebounded WBU 34–26, including a dominant 26 defensive rebounds that limited Wayland's second-chance opportunities. JBU also scored 47 points in the paint, leaning on the interior trio of Sarah Snodgrass, Abbey Sanders, and Caelyn Ferguson, who each finished with 20 points for the home team.
Wayland continued to attack the basket throughout the night—scoring 44 points in the paint—but foul trouble and missed free throws (12-for-19) kept the Queens from sustaining momentum during key stretches.
Facing a 15-point deficit entering the fourth, WBU opened the period aggressively as Dabbs knocked down a transition three to cut the margin to 12. But each Flying Queen run was met with an answer from the Golden Eagles, who closed the game on another strong offensive finish, hitting 58% of their fourth-quarter attempts.
Peyton North drilled a late three in transition, but the gap was too wide to close.
WBU returns to action Saturday, November 22
nd, as they continue their SAC road swing, traveling to Point Lookout, Missouri for a match up against College of the Ozarks. The game is scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM.
