Chris Yingling | Echo
Taylor never held a lead against Indiana Wesleyan in the latest chapter of the Grant County battle royale. The Trojans travelled to IWU on Tuesday, taking a 75-51 beating from the rival Wildcats.
Sharp-shooting kept the score close in the opening period. With 7:46 to go in the first half, IWU only possessed a one-point lead, 17-18. The Wildcats then caught fire with a 19-5 run to close the half, cementing a 37-22 advantage.
The raucous Indiana Wesleyan crowd never allowed Taylor to get into a second-half rhythm. IWU's dominating 38 points in the second frame ensured a win for the top NAIA team in the country, 75-51 over Taylor.
Taylor's three-point game proved a bright spot on a dark night for the Trojans. Senior guard Jesse Coffey and freshman forward Keaton Hendricks each drained three, while freshman guard Braden Miller came off the bench at the end of the game, scoring from behind the arc in the waning seconds.
While the team scored from deep, the tenacious IWU defense bottled up the Trojans' interior game. Scoring in the post was a problem for the Trojans, as three of Taylor's five starters failed to make bucket.
"They beat us inside, they beat us on the glass and they controlled the paint," Coffey said. "They got shots they wanted, where they wanted and they knocked them down. When they're shooting that well from the start, it's tough to keep up with."
Coffey led the Trojans with 15 points, while Hendricks added 13 and senior forward Darayl Jordan had eight. Junior guard Kyle Stidom cleaned the glass for Taylor with 10 total rebounds. Jordan added three blocks to cap the Trojans' effort.
The loss puts Taylor at 11-16 with a 2-13 record in the Crossroads League. Taylor's record puts them at last place in the conference and two games back from playoff contention.
"In a sense, we don't control our destiny," said head coach Josh Andrews. "But we can control our next games. These are must-win games coming up, and the next one's on our home floor. It's a toughness thing and a test of our character. Our guys have to stay together and continue pursuing our vision."
Taylor returns to the home court on Saturday in a pivotal matchup against Goshen College at 3 p.m.Photograph by Chris Yingling
