![Defending National Champions Slip Past Trojans](/images/2014-15/WomenBasketball/Compton_USF.jpg)
Defending National Champions Slip Past Trojans
MARION, Ind. - The Taylor women's basketball team battled arch rival and defending national champion Indiana Wesleyan down to the wire on the road on Wednesday night but in the end the 10th-ranked Wildcats pulled out the victory.
Although the Trojans trailed 29-19 at halftime a second half run allowed TU to eventually completely erase the halftime deficit as Taylor took a 39-38 lead at the 10:59 mark on a pair of free throws from sophomore Monica Compton that capped a 9-0 Taylor run. The Wildcats answered the Taylor run with an 8-0 run of their own to reclaim the lead and control of the game, extending the lead to 53-43 with just over five minutes to play.
The Trojans scored six straight points to cut the Wildcats' lead to 55-51 with 39 seconds to play but Indiana Wesleyan five of their final six free throws to protect the lead and seal the win.
Taylor (10-17, 5-10) was led by the senior trio of Becca Daniels, Kelsey Bryant, and Kelci Freds. Daniels scored 18 points and pulled down seven rebounds to pace the TU attack while Bryant added 11 and Freds finished with ten. Freds also connected on 2-of-6 from 3-point range to extend her streak of making a 3-pointer in every game this season.
The Trojans struggled to find a shooting touch against the staunch IWU defense, which leads the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 52.7 points per game. Taylor connected on just 17-of-53 (32.1 percent) from the floor and 4-of-17 (23.5 percent) from beyond the arc. Taylor did manage to outrebound the Wildcats, winning the battle on the glass 37-31.
Indiana Wesleyan (21-6, 11-4) was led by Taylor Goshert's 25 points and ten rebounds while Katrina Blackmon added 14 points and seven rebounds for the Wildcats.
Taylor now returns home for the first time since Jan. 25 as the Trojans host Goshen in Odle Arena on Saturday at 1:00 pm.