Second-Half Offense Falters Versus MVNU

UPLAND, Ind. – The Taylor women's basketball team (9-12, 4-7 CL) fell 83-69 at home to Mount Vernon Nazarene (8-13, 2-9) Wednesday evening.

TU put together a strong start to the game, with four players hitting multiple field goals and the offense generating a perfect six-to-zero assist-to-turnover ratio through one quarter of action. Hope Custer led the Trojans in the frame with seven points, and Jillian Osswald splashed home two triples as the home team grabbed an early 22-16 advantage.

A high-scoring second quarter briefly saw the Cougars take a one-point lead, but Ava Henson and the Taylor offense kept pace and notched another seven assists in the period to enter halftime with a 43-39 edge. Osswald and Henson had already reached double figures by the half, while Custer and Taylor Westgate were nearing that mark with nine points apiece.

Defensive halftime adjustments made by MVNU brought more on-ball pressure and a stout shell defense that TU could not crack, as the Trojans were limited to just nine points in the third period as their lead evaporated.

Henson opened the fourth quarter with a nifty backdoor cut for a layup assisted by Westgate to bring Taylor within three at 57-54, but the offense quickly dried up again with TU missing all seven of its three-point attempts in the final frame. The Cougars, meanwhile, capped off their comeback win with 26 points across the last eight and-a-half minutes of game time.

Henson led all scorers in the game with 19 points on efficient 8-12 shooting from the field. Westgate tallied 17 points and finished with team highs with seven rebounds and five assists. Custer and Osswald each scored 15 points while they both tied Henson for the team lead with two steals.

TU won the turnover battle 13-8, but MVNU controlled most other major categories, including its bench outscoring Taylor's 36-0.

The Trojans will look to get back in the win column when they travel to play CL-undefeated, No. 2 Marian (20-1, 11-0 CL) on Saturday at 1 p.m.