GOODWELL, Okla. -- Ten first-half 3-pointers and a 21-point lead wasn't enough on Thursday night as the No. 24 John Brown University men's basketball team allowed the nation's leading scorer to drop 21 second-half points as Oklahoma Panhandle State handed the Golden Eagles a 71-69 setback inside Oscar Williams Fieldhouse.
After being held to just eight points in the first half, OPSU's Breiman Alexander hit 6 of 10 from the field over the final 20 minutes, including the layup that gave the Aggies the lead for good at 57-56.
The loss was the third straight for the Golden Eagles (12-6, 6-4 Sooner Athletic) after sitting atop the SAC standings on Jan. 5.
Panhandle State shot 58 percent (15 of 26) from the floor in the second half and converted 10 of 14 from the free-throw line down the stretch to captured its second Top 25 upset in three games.
"We had such a strong start and first half tonight, really locked in defensively and worked for some great shots," head coach Jason Beschta said. "They came out with more energy and fight in the second half and clawed their way back into it, and we didn't respond well. We allowed them to take away some things we were doing well on offense without capitalizing on what was there.
"We let this really affect us on defense as we didn't do a great job in transition or always locking into how we planned on guarding various players and actions. This one stings, but I hope it will refocus us on what we pride ourselves in and recommit to doing it at a high level."
Senior Jake Caudle had arguably his most dominant half of the season in the first 20 minutes, hitting 5 of 7 from the floor, all from behind the arc. Sophomore Rokas Grabliauskas jumped in with four triples of his own and the Golden Eagles doubled the hosts' rebounding effort while shooting 52 percent (13 of 25) from the floor.
After a 42-point outing in the first half, Panhandle State held the JBU offense to just eight field goals (33 percent) in the second half, while equaling the visitors in the rebounding effort.
OPSU did not have a turnover in the second half, while John Brown committed six errors as the Aggies flipped the score from the first half.
Junior Brenton Toussaint rebounded his own miss and stuck the put-back to pull the Golden Eagles within one, 67-66. A few possessions later, senior Josh Bowling leaned into a triple from the left arc with 14 seconds left to return to the deficit to 70-69.
However, on the ensuing possession, when it was obvious that JBU would intentionally foul, the Golden Eagles were hit with a flagrant, which gave OPSU two free throws and the ball back, essentially icing the contest.
JBU left seven free throws on the table, converting 15 of 23, and committed 13 turnovers, compared to the Aggies' five.
Caudle paced the Golden Eagles with 22 points, the third time this season he's eclipsed the 20-point mark, while Grabliauskas added 15 and dished out five assists. Bowling contributed 14 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Alexander finished four points above his nation-leading average with 29 points, while Khallid Edwards posted 14 points and five boards.
John Brown was scheduled to travel to Wayland Baptist (Texas) last Saturday. Results were not available at presstime. The Golden Eagles are back at home Thursday against Texas Wesleyan on Thursday and Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) this Saturday.
Sports on 01/20/2019