- The Echo's News Co-Editor, Chris Yingling, gives his take on this week's Grant County clash -
Chris Yingling | Echo
One of Grant County's heated rivalries reignites this Tuesday when No. 9 Indiana Wesleyan visits Odle Arena to take on the Taylor men's basketball team.
The Trojans look to gain their first win over IWU since February of 2012. Having lost three consecutive rivalry games during the drought, Taylor will attempt to upset their opponent using hard post play and strong shooting.
The most recent matchup found the Wildcats victorious 52-71 in Marian. The Trojans struggled on offense, putting up their second-lowest shooting percentage (.373) of the season while only making one three-point shot in the game.
However, the Trojans enter this game with momentum by notching a key conference win against Spring Arbor in a home-court OT thriller on Saturday, outlasting the Cougars 88-87. The Trojans relied heavily on a team-high 20 points from junior guard Jesse Coffey and four blocks from junior forward Darayl Jordan.
IWU also won their last home matchup against Mount Vernon Nazarene, 79-66, and the Wildcats look to extend their single-game lead atop the Crossroads League standings. Seniors RJ Mahurin and Jordan Weidner led the charge with 20 and 19 points, respectively, and will be defensive priorities for the Trojans.
While the matchup heavily favors IWU, the Trojans have many positive things going for them on offense. Sophomore guard Kyle Stidom will be relied upon for his quick-scoring threat. The scoring leader for the Trojans is often the focal point of the offense. The more good looks he gets inside, the better off the Trojans will be.
Jesse Coffey, Taylor's volume shooter, will have to have a great game on Tuesday in order for the Trojans to upset the Wildcats. As seen on Saturday, shooting 67 percent from the field, Coffey has the ability to make shots anywhere from behind the arc. IWU's perimeter defense will make stopping Coffey's shooting streaks a defensive priority.
The Trojan defensive play is an entirely different story. IWU excels in driving to the basket, exploiting a weakness on the inside. Solid defensive post play by junior center Ian Dutcher and senior forward Josh Riikonen is the key to stopping Indiana Wesleyan's strategy of high-percentage inside looks. Darayl Jordan's blocking proficiency (nine in his last four games) will also clog up the paint and discourage IWU's shot selection.
Keeping a fast-paced tempo the whole game will be a focus of the Trojans. Very much a first half team, coach Josh Andrews and his crew are no strangers to seeing double-digit leads in the first half evaporate in the second. The Trojans will need to stay focused for all 40 minutes against this tenacious IWU team to notch a much-needed home win.
The battle for Grant County will take place Tuesday, Feb. 11 in Odle Arena with tip scheduled for 7 p.m.
Photography by Timothy P. Riethmiller
