November 2, 2013
Women's Basketball Stumbles in Season Opener
HAMMOND, Ind. - The Taylor women's basketball team dropped its season opener at No. 21-ranked Purdue Calumet 71-55 at the Radison Tip-Off Classic in the first game for new TU head coach Kelly Packard.
Sophomore Taylor Degenkolb led the Trojans with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point range while sophomore transfer Monica Compton scored nine points in her Taylor debut to pace the TU offensive attack.
Taylor (0-1) trailed the Peregrines 16-15 just past the midway point of the first half but Purdue Calumet took advantage of a string of Taylor turnovers en route to a 18-0 run to take a commanding 33-15 lead with 4:35 remaining in the opening period. Taylor was never able to build any momentum to as the Peregrine lead ballooned to 66-36 in the second half before Taylor trimmed the lead in the final minutes.
Taylor shot 42.3 percent (22-52) from the field and 31.6 percent (6-19) from beyond the arc but the Trojans committed 28 turnovers, compared to just 13 miscues for Purdue Calumet in what proved to be the difference in the game.
Purdue Calumet (1-0) got 14 points off the bench from Madison Gervais and 13 points from Kami Graber as the Peregrines shot 38.2 percent (26-68) from the floor.
Taylor will have a quick turnaround with an 11:00 am contest with Robert Morris (Ill.) tomorrow in the second day of the Radison Tip-Off Classic.