Defense Keys Taylor Victory Over Bethel

Video Highlights

The Taylor University 13^th-ranked women's basketball team (8-1, 2-1) had a hot hand in Saturday's 84-76 victory over 15^th-ranked Bethel as shot 55 percent fromt he floor en route to an convincing victory over the Pilots.

Taylor clamped down on the Pilots on the defensive end holding Bethel to just 34.8 percent shooting from the floor including 8-of-26 from 3-point range.

Head coach Tena Krause was pleased with all facets of her team's game, "Our intensity and defense were the keys today. We played two great halves and did not have a lapse. The perimeter defense was excellent and we really played together today."

After the two teams battled evenly throughout the first six minutes, TU's Tess Rudolph drilled her second of four 3-pointers to put Taylor up by two points at 17-15, a lead they would never relinquish. The Trojans continued with a 19-4 run giving them a 33-18 advantage with 6:14 remaining in the first half.

It was give and take for the remainder of the half when the Trojans took a 44-32 lead to the locker room.

While holding the Pilots to 3-of-13 from long range, the Trojans nailed 6-of-10 from beyond the arc including a 4-for-4 showing from Rudolph.

Bethel cut the lead down to ten points during the first two minutes of the second stanza, but Taylor responded and expanded the gap to twenty points at 66-46 with ten minutes remaining.

Two 3-pointers and a bucket in the paint brought the Pilots within seven points at 81-74, but the Trojans maintained their poise and held on for an 84-76 victory.

Balanced scoring was key for TU as four players managed double figures. Rudolph tallied 19, Erin Guarneri scored 17, Erika Redweik added 16, and Becca Daniels chipped in a career-high 15.

Taylor held a 46-38 advantage on the glass led by Erin Guarneri's 11 rebounds as the Marian, Ind., native notched her third double-double of the season. TU hit 20-of-29 from the free throw line as well.

The team will compete in the Indiana Wesleyan Classic next weekend, facing Rio Grande at 8 pm on Friday and Rochester College at 1 pm on Saturday.