What A Comeback – John Brown Continues NAIA Run

 

By Nicholas Robinson, JBU Athletics

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Facing an 18-point deficit with 7:51 remaining in the second half, the fifth-seeded and No. 19 Golden Eagles (28-7) rode a 23-3 run as Brooke Barker scored her only bucket of the game, a three-pointer with 8.8 seconds left, completing an improbable 65-63 comeback victory over seventh-seeded Loyola (La.) in the Exclusive Eight of the NAIA National Championships tonight at the Frankfort Convention Center.

John Brown trailed since the 7:43 mark of the first half as the Wolf Pack (23-12) rode a 52.2 percent first-half shooting clip to a 35-29 lead at the intermission. Loyola continued its accurate shooting into the second stanza where it poured in six triples on its first seven made field goals. The three-point barrage was momentarily negated by a pair of old-fashioned three-point plays by Kami Garrison at 15:20 and Morgan Ankrom at 13:35, each of which relegated Loyola’s lead to nine, but only momentarily.

Posting just a 34.4 percent shooting clip in the first half, JBU’s shooting woes continued into the second half as the Wolf Pack’s pair of runs built an 18-point margin, 60-42, at the 7:51 mark. John Brown managed just a 6-of-23 clip over the first 12:09, but Loyola’s three consecutive treys placed the Golden Eagles on the verge of a blow-out in its first-ever Exclusive Eight appearance.

Instead of allowing upstart Loyola to finish the game enjoying its double-digit lead, John Brown began to slowly whittle away at the 18-point deficit. Abbie Warren worked her way to the line on the ensuing possession, making both, and Sierra Shipley’s long-range bucket from Lauren Rogers off a turnover began to stem Loyola’s momentum. John Brown’s fourth-ranked defense began to take its toll on the Wolf Pack as the Golden Eagles began to press. Warren’s only field goal of the second half made the Wolf Pack pay for its second-straight turnover, bringing the lead down to 11, 60-49, with 6:04 remaining.

After Loyola split a pair at the line, John Brown continued its overwhelming run when Rogers’ third triple of the game finally brought the margin back to single-digits. At the 3:58 mark, the Golden Eagles enjoyed another three, this time off the hands of Kortni Barenberg from the deep right corner, narrowing the up-hill climb to six, 61-55. Although the Wolf Pack scored on its next possession, JBU began to make good of the fouls accumulating on Loyola when Shipley and Barenberg each went 2-of-2 from the charity stripe while the Wolf Pack continued its offensive difficulties. Barenberg, who struggled from the floor all evening, completed a lay-up at 1:28 drawing John Brown to within two, 63-61.

Another turnover on offense created an opportunity for Barenberg to complete her own personal 6-0 run at the line after drawing a foul on the next possession. The senior stuck the first, but missed the second, leaving the Golden Eagles still down a single point with only 45 seconds left. Not frayed by possibly missing the chance of completing an improbable comeback, JBU forced Loyola into an ill-timed miscue with 29 seconds left, handing John Brown a chance to take the lead on the final possession of the game.

The Golden Eagles did just that. Shipley’s penetrating pass from the point into the post found Garrison, who took a pair of dribbles with her back to the bucket before dishing her only assist of the game to Barker, who awaited at the right arc. Barker, who had gone 0-of-4 from the field the entire game, took a confident jump shot that found nothing but net, giving JBU a two-point lead, 65-63, with 8.8 seconds left in the game.

The ensuing inbounds allowed John Brown to whittle a few more seconds off the clock before a strategic foul with 5.3 seconds on the clock forced Loyola into a timeout. After an inbounding pass at mid-court, the Wolf Pack’s Janeicia Neely took the feed straight to the bucket, but her potential game-tying hook shot was too long, sending the Golden Eagle bench into an unbelievable state of shock and joy.

The game-clinching rally was powered by its staunch defense as the Golden Eagles limited Loyola to an 0-of-5 mark from the field over the final 7:51, including a quartet of timely turnovers.

John Brown shot 11-of-32 in both halves (34.4 percent) but won the game by forcing nine Loyola turnovers while grabbing 16 offensive rebounds, three each by Shipley, Garrison and Ankrom, afforded JBU 17 more field goal opportunities than the Wolf Pack. 

Shipley finished the contest with 18 points on 6-of-18 shooting from the field, highlighted by four triples. She also collected seven rebounds and a game-high three assists. Barenberg notched 12 points despite a 4-of-11 mark from the floor and Rogers poured in three treys en route to nine points and five rebounds.

The Golden Eagles received an enormous boost from its bench when Garrison and Barenberg were plagued by foul trouble. The help came in the form of eight Warren points that were accompanied by seven points and a game-high eight rebounds from Ankrom. Tristan Carrasquillo scored a pivotal triple at the 10:08 mark of the second half, helping keep JBU within striking distance. Taylor Lee also came off the bench to contribute 10 important minutes that included two offensive rebounds and an assist.

Down the stretch, John Brown converted 7-of-8 chances from the line and finished 10-of-12 from the stripe (83.3 percent). The Golden Eagles scored five of its 11 triples in the second half and notched a 40.7 percent clip from behind the arc (11-of-27). Loyola shot marginally better from long range at 47.8 perecent (11-of-23) that featured seven second-half triples.

“In the second half, we were a lot more aggressive with their pick-and-rolls,” said head coach Jeff Soderquist. “In the first half, we were too passive. I think that was the difference down the stretch. We are one of the better defensive teams in the nation and we usually only give up 50 points a game. Loyola had 35 at halftime, so to keep them at 63 for the game was a great showing for us on defense.”

The first-half pace of the quarterfinal matchup was measured and deliberate by both teams. Loyola scored the first eight points of the game over a three-minute period. JBU began the game 0-of-3 from the floor and committed three turnovers, allowing the Wolf Pack to bolster its lead at 10-3, leaving John Brown attempting to find its offensive rhythm. Finally it came in the form of the long ball as Rogers hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc before back-to-back Shipley treys completed an 8-0 John Brown run, handing the higher-seeded team its first lead of the game at 12:55.

The score differential remained two points or less until Loyola’s Caroline Gonzalez drained a three with 5:32 left in the stanza, giving the Wolf Pack a five-point advantage, 23-18. The Golden Eagles responded by outscoring Loyola 9-5 over the next 3:21, drawing within one (30-29) on a three-pointer by Ankrom from the top of the key. However, in the final minute of first-frame action, Loyola’s Jeneicia Neeley hit a three-pointer and Jasmine Brewer got a steal and a layup to give Loyola a 35-29 lead at the intermission.

Neely finished the game with a team-best 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor. Brewer finished in double figures by chipping in with 11 points while Gonzalez’s four triples powered her to 14 points off the Wolf Pack bench.

Awaiting the Golden Eagles in the national semifinals is a familiar foe, second-seeded and No. 5 Oklahoma City (25-4). The Stars reached the 12th Fab Four in program history today by surviving a heavyweight matchup with top-seeded and No. 4 Campbellsville (Ky.), 79-76. JBU and City will meet for the fourth time the season, this time with a berth to the national championship game on the line. The Stars have won two of the three previous meetings this season, but John Brown’s 66-62 victory over OCU in the Sooner Athletic Conference tournament semifinals ended a 13-year drought dating back to Feb. 17, 2001.

“We’re very proud to be here, very proud to represent John Brown University,” added Soderquist. “We don’t care who we have to play next, we’re just happy to be here. It’s great to be involved in a national semifinal game, and with Oklahoma City’s storied tradition of success at the tournament, I think it’s great that the Sooner Athletic Conference has two teams among the final four.”

John Brown Continues NAIA Run

2014 NAIA National Championships Bracket

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