Taylor Can’t Survive Bout with Hot-Shooting Grenadiers

NEW ALBANY, Ind. – A back-and-forth game Thursday night between Taylor (4-7, 0-4 CL) and IU Southeast (3-5, 0-1 RSC) came down to the wire, when an 8-0 Grenadier run during the closing minutes handed TU a tough, 79-75 loss.

The final three stanzas saw the host-Grenadiers shoot 57.8 percent from the floor, including 10-of-16 from deep, to help them pull out the win.

The home team's victory did not come smoothly, as Kacey Ott caught fire in the low post when the forward entered the game in the third quarter. Ott scored 19 points on 7-of-11 accuracy while making all five of her free throws, including four consecutive makes with just over two minutes to play that gave TU a 71-68 edge.

IUS scored in one fashion or another on each of its last four possessions, however, to prolong the Trojans' skid.

Taylor built an 18-13 advantage through one quarter, but a combination of turnovers and defensive struggles in transition during the second quarter led to the Grenadiers holding a 38-33 halftime lead.

Kendall Wayne saw her shot fall all throughout the night, splashing home a trey in each of the first three quarters and tallying a career-high 16 points. The senior helped launch a second-half comeback with an early third-period triple, and she recorded a game- and career-high 10 rebounds.

Both teams played well offensively in that third quarter where IU Southeast's lead grew to as many as 10, though its advantage was trimmed to five heading into the fourth.

Ava Henson, who tied for a game-high 20 points, gave Taylor its initial fourth-quarter lead with 5:15 remaining following a pair of technical foul shots and a bucket in the lane.

Emma Fohl notched nine points and five assists, the latter of which matched Henson for the team lead.

Defensively, the Purple and Grey collected 11 steals, including three apiece from Henson and Wayne, to help TU win the turnover battle, 18-13.

Taylor tips off the Trojan Classic inside Odle Arena on Tuesday, December 17, at 4 p.m. against IU Kokomo (4-5, 1-0 RSC).