![Taylor Uses Strong Finish to Upend No. 25 Huntington](/images/2016-17/WomenBasketball/Cobb_Huntington.jpg)
Taylor Uses Strong Finish to Upend No. 25 Huntington
UPLAND, Ind. – The Taylor women's basketball team knocked off No. 25 Huntington, 75-70, at Paul Patterson Court on Wednesday night, giving the program its first win over a ranked opponent at home since defeating No. 16 Huntington, 79-56, on January 3, 2015.
The Trojans controlled most of the first half, as HU (8-8, 2-3 CL) only led for 13 seconds of the opening 20 minutes, while TU led by as many as 10 points in the second quarter before Huntington cut it to a 33-31 Taylor halftime lead.
TU's defense was stout, as the Trojans held HU to just 10-of-29 shooting (34.5 percent) in the first half, well below the Foresters' season clip of 47.5 percent, which is tops in the nation. Offensively, Taylor converted on 48.1 percent (13-of-27) of its shots, led by Kendall Bradbury's 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting.
The two teams traded buckets the first several minutes of the second half, but Huntington surged ahead by six with 1:52 left in the third quarter before Cassidy Wyse's last-second deuce made it 55-50 in favor of the visitors after three quarters. The Foresters found their shooting touch during the period, hitting nine-of-15 (60 percent) shots from the floor and three-of-six (50 percent) from behind the arc.
HU held onto the lead for the first five minutes of the final period, but BreAnna Arnold's triple from the corner pocket gave Taylor the 65-64 lead with 4:44 left in the game. The three-pointer was part of an 11-to-one run that put the Trojans ahead by six with just over three minutes remaining. The Foresters pulled within three, 73-70, with 29 seconds left, but Huntington missed its final three shots from the field and Lacey Garrett knocked down two free throws to make the final tally.
Bradbury finished one rebound shy of a fourth-straight double-double, recording 26 points and nine rebounds to lead the Trojans. Wyse notched 18 points on six-of-10 shooting from the floor, while also collecting six rebounds.
Josie Cobb and Garrett each went four-of-eight from the field, scoring 11 and 10 points, respectively. Each grabbed four boards apiece, and Garrett dished out six assists to tie her career-high. Aubrey Wright added eight rebounds, including six key boards on the offensive end that allowed TU to get bonus possessions.
The Trojans (9-8, 4-1 CL) will take on fifth-ranked and defending NAIA national-champion Marian (14-3, 4-1 CL) on Saturday at 1:00 pm to commence a Crossroads League doubleheader inside Odle Arena, as the Taylor and Marian men's teams will square off at 3:00 pm.