Chris Yingling | Echo
Odle Arena echoed with fans' jubilant rejoicing on Wednesday as Taylor women's basketball throttled Crossroads League rival Bethel Pilots, 92-54.
Taylor had the advantage from the start, immediately grabbing the lead and never looking back. Bethel initially kept the game close with just a 10-6 deficit. A few baskets off turnovers kept Bethel from falling behind too far in the first five minutes.
But then the Taylor offense caught fire.
Freshman guard Josie Cobb drained three 3-point shots and junior forward Jackie Osenbaugh started a stream of consecutive shots to spark the Trojans' offensive streak. Bethel had no answer for the surge, and Taylor went on a 36-8 run in just over five minutes of play time.
"Our transition game and fast tempo allowed us to jump out and gain some confidence as well as get some early buckets," said freshman forward Cassidy Wyse. "Our defense also stepped up, which then pushed us on the offensive end as well."
The Trojans maintained their blazing pace to the end of the first half, holding a comfortable 33-point lead over the Pilots, 54-21.
After the halftime break, Taylor turned down the fireworks, allowing Bethel to score a bit more. However, despite the slowed offense, Taylor continued to extend the lead. A 3-point bucket from junior guard Emily Cho at the halfway point of the second half pushed Taylor's lead to 45 points.
The flames smoldered in the final quarter of play as Bethel outscored Taylor 17-10 to close the game. However, it wasn't enough as Taylor secured its second 38-point win of the season.
"It raises everyone's spirits and confidence because we all get some really solid minutes," Osenbaugh said. "It was especially great for our seniors to have such a positive experience for what could be their last home game, but now we want another home game for them."
Osenbaugh led the Trojans with a game-high 23 points on 9-for-10 shooting. She also led Taylor with nine rebounds, while also contributing four assists, three steals and a block. Wyse and Cobb followed Osenbaugh, adding 13 points each. Senior forward Sara Waid also scored 11 points for the Trojans.
Taylor stymied Bethel's offense, holding the Pilots to just a 28.6 field goal percentage while shooting just above 50 percent. The offensive efficiency kept the ball moving as TU dished 27 assisted buckets compared to just 11 for the Pilots. Taylor also out-rebounded Bethel 52-30 for a huge advantage on the glass.
The win puts Taylor at 16-13 on the year with a 9-8 record in the Crossroads League. Only one regular season contest remains as the Trojans travel to No. 22 Huntington in an important final matchup. A win and some help could propel Taylor to the No. 4 seed in the Crossroads League, allowing the Trojans to host a playoff game.
"I'm always excited for the conference tournament," said head coach Kelly Packard. "Right now, there is a clear separation with our top league teams. We must execute well offensively and defensively as we play with passion and purpose."
Taylor will take on Huntington on the road tomorrow at 1 p.m.Photograph by Josh Adams
