Trojans Season Comes to Close in League Quarterfinals
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
29 | 49 | 78 |
|
|
51 | 51 | 102 |
Team Stats
Taylor
#5 Indiana Wesleyan
| Game Statistics | Taylor | #5 Indiana Wesleyan |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (30-63) | (38-72) |
| Field Goal % | 47.6% | 52.8% |
| Rebounds | 32 | 41 |
| Assists | 11 | 16 |
| Turnovers | 14 | 9 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 12 | 16 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 5 | 18 |
| Pts in the Paint | 38 | 52 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 0 | 0 |
| Bench Pts | 38 | 37 |
Box Score | Photo Gallery | CL Championship Central
MARION, Ind. – Taylor's season came to an end on Wednesday, as TU fell in an early hole at No. 5 Indiana Wesleyan and could not battle back in the 102-78 defeat.
The top-seeded Wildcats (24-7) netted the first six points of the game and bolted to a 19-5 lead to assert control of the contest. TU momentarily narrowed the gap to single digits on a 7-2 stretch, but the hosts pushed back to open a 41-16 margin and cruised to the 24-point win.
Taylor shot just nine-of-30 from the floor in the opening half and could not dig out of a 22-point halftime deficit, despite shooting 21-of-33 after the break. The Trojans could not gain enough defensive stops to mount a rally, as IWU shot 52.8 percent for the game and held a 13-point advantage in second-chance scoring.
The sophomore guard tandem of Ryan Robinson and Mason Degenkolb combined for 38 points to pace the Purple and Gold, while junior guard Evan Crowe netted 12.
The loss closed Taylor's (16-15) campaign and brought an end to the playing careers of TU's five-man senior class.
Tim Fleming, Keaton Hendricks, Joe Ingersoll, Graham Ortmann and Christian Allen helped TU post back-to-back winning seasons over the last two years, with 10 wins over teams ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA Top-25 Poll in that time. The unit also sparked the program's return to the NAIA National Tournament in 2016-2017.
Taylor is set to return nine lettermen for the 2018-2019 season, including each of its five top scorers.
