Sixth-Ranked Roosevelt Trips Trojans in OT

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UPLAND, Ind. - The Taylor women's basketball team took No. 6 Roosevelt to the wire in the home opener for new head coach Kelly Packard but the Trojans fell one point short as the Lakers escaped Upland with a 95-94 overtime victory.

Senior guards Kelsey Bryant and Kelci Freds both scored 17 points and combined for eight 3-pointers while sophomore forwards Monica Compton and Taylor Degenkolb added 12 points each to pace a balanced Taylor attack that saw all 13 Trojans that saw action also score.

Taylor (1-4) led by as many as 13 points in the second half as the Trojans opened the second half with a 13-1 run to claim a 60-47 advantage with just under 17 minutes to play but the Lakers steadily chipped away at the TU lead, finally taking the lead at 83-82 with just under four minutes to play.

The teams traded baskets with the Lakers' Tori Clark nailing a jumper with 32 seconds to play to put Roosevelt on top 88-86 but Taylor freshman Savannah Bley used a spin move in the post to wiggle free for a layup with 16 seconds to play and the Trojans forced a Roosevelt miss to send the game to overtime.

Taylor entered overtime without three key players as Bryant, Compton and senior forward Becca Daniels were all forced to watch from the TU bench after fouling out but the Trojans got managed to claim a 94-93 lead with just over two minutes to play on the clock with sophomore Jackie Osenbaugh connected from the free throw line. RU's Casey Davis scored on the ensuing possession to give the Lakers a one point lead and a last second 3-pointer from the corner by Taylor's Degenkolb was just short as Roosevelt escaped with a 95-94 victory.

Taylor shot 45.2-percent (38-84) from the floor including 37.5-percent (10-25) from beyond the arc while Roosevelt, who entered the game as the fifth highest scoring team in NAIA Division II at 93.2 points per game, shot 50.7-percent (36-71) from the floor and 31.3-percent (5-16) from 3-point range.

The Trojans got big production from the bench as the TU reserves, led by 17 points from Freds, outscored the Roosevelt bench 42-13. Taylor also cashed in on 16 offensive rebounds with 16 second change points as the Trojans outrebounded the Lakers 44-39.

Senior Ashley Fouch dished out a season-high nine assists and pulled down a team-high eight rebounds while Bley added seven boards and three assists to go along with seven points for TU.

Roosevelt (6-0) had five players in double figures, led by Davis who finished with 23 points. Becky Williford added 19 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists for the Lakers.

Taylor returns to action next Saturday when the Trojans travel to Judson before Taylor kicks off Crossroads League play on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at No. 20 Grace.