Upset Bid Falls Short Late Against No. 23 Bethel

MISHAWAKA, Ind. – The Trojans battled with the Pilots Saturday afternoon, ultimately falling 75-66, in a tight game on the road.

A quick start to the game saw Taylor grab an early 9-8 lead five minutes into the action after Jackson Lewis splashed home a triple off a pass from Grant Niehaus. 

No. 23 Bethel took a 16-11 lead until Taylor went on a 7-0 run fueled by five points from the bench and capped with a dunk from Anton Webb, who earned his tenth double-double of the year with 12 points and ten rebounds. Webb also added three assists, one block, and one steal. 

The teams traded baskets before the Pilots (16-3, 7-2 CL) scored six straight to send the Trojans to the locker room down 33-29. 

Kaden Fuhrmann came out of halftime with a renewed focus and scored five of the Trojans' first seven points to take a 36-35 lead less than two minutes after the restart. Fuhrmann ended the day with a team-leading 15 points.

The teams were locked in a battle, with Webb finishing two layups in back-to-back possessions giving TU its largest lead of the contest at 41-38. The see-saw game continued with Jackson Ullom keeping the Trojans in it with two triples before the Pilots went on a 10-2 run, which gave them a nine-point advantage. 

A couple of baskets from Taylor trimmed the lead to a pair but Bethel responded with an 11-2 run, which sealed the outcome for the home team. 

Lewis had an all-around stunning performance for TU, putting up 14 points on seven shots, grabbing three rebounds, dishing out five assists, and swiping two steals. Niehaus had an efficient 11 points in his best outing since joining the starting lineup.

Taylor (7-12, 2-7 CL) has a week off before traveling to take the court against Saint Francis (11-7, 4-5 CL) on Saturday, January 27, with tip-off scheduled for 3:00 pm.