Trojans Post Strong Finish in Season-Opening Win Over Madonna
LIVONIA, Mich. – Thanks to a fourth quarter flurry of buckets, the Taylor women's basketball team won its season-opener by a score of 80-56. Sophomore, Claycee West, put on a show, posting career-highs with 22 points and nine rebounds.
The Trojans finished the game shooting 45.6 percent from the floor, but the first quarter presented itself as an obstacle to be overcome. Taylor scored just seven points in the opening 10 minutes, turning the ball over four times and shooting a shy 17.6 percent.
Taylor began to flip the script in the second quarter, however, outscoring the Crusaders 19-12 and shooting 42.9 percent from three. West played a significant role in the Trojans' renewed efficiency, scoring eight points in the second quarter, four of which came from the charity stripe.
Still, Madonna held the lead at half by a score of 31-26. The lead would not last for long, though, as the Trojans matched their first-half point total in the third quarter alone.
Taylor came out of the half precise in its shooting, maintaining a mark of 55.6 percent from the floor and 66.7 percent from three. Once again, West led the way for the Trojans, as she tallied another nine points while holding a shooting percentage of 50 percent. Senior, Kayla Kirtley, helped energize the Trojan run, contributing five points and two assists while shooting perfectly from the floor.
At the end of the third quarter the score read 52-46 with the Trojans in the lead, a lead, however, that was soon to be extended. The Trojans ignited the fourth with a 14-0 run, culminating in a quarter in which Taylor outscored Madonna 28-10.
Senior standout, Lauren James, did damage to the scorebook in the game's final 10 minutes, racking in 12 points while scoring on each of her five shots. James finished the game with 19 points, four assists and three boards, while maintaining an exceptional shooting percentage of 80 percent from the floor and 75 percent from three.
Along with West's 22 points and James's 19, Kirtley added 13, while Merideth Deckard was solid across the board, contributing 10 points, along with four assists and five rebounds.
Sophomore, Taylor Westgate, was relentless in the paint, securing a career-high 13 rebounds.
Taylor (1-0) has now defeated Madonna (0-1) in each of their seven matchups.
The Trojans return to the court on Friday, October 29th, as they take on RV Olivet Nazarene in the opening round of the Bethel Tip-off Classic in Mishawaka, Indiana.