Second Half Lead Slips Away in Road Defeat
KOKOMO, Ind. – Taylor led by 13 points with 8:30 remaining in the contest in Tuesday’s game at Indiana Kokomo, but the hosts came to life and closed the game on a 24-9 stretch to turn TU away by a 69-67 margin.
The loss was the fifth-straight for the Trojans to open the season, with all five setbacks coming in heartbreaking fashion by six points or less and with TU failing to reach 70 points.
TU opened with its best offensive half of the young season, going 16-of-32 from the field and seven-of-nine from three-point range to open a 41-35 lead at the intermission.
Taylor used an 18-2 spurt from the 13:19 mark to the 8:47 point of the opener to flip a 16-14 deficit into a game-high lead of 14 at 32-18. Five different Trojans scored during the stretch, with Jason Hubbard netting six during a 13-0 streak to cap the rally.
TU maintained a comfortable lead throughout the majority of the second stanza as well, holding a 13-point gap with 8:30 to play and still leading by 10 with 5:00 left in the contest.
Back-to-back triples from IUK (3-1) put the Taylor advantage in jeopardy for the first time by narrowing the margin to 62-59 with 2:30 on the clock and another Cougar trey with 17 seconds to go handed TU its first deficit since trailing by the 16-14 margin.
Kaden Fuhrmann momentarily halted the 21-6 IUK run and reclaimed a 67-66 Trojan lead with a step-back three-pointer with eight seconds to play, but the hosts raced down the court and knocked in one more triple to finish the comeback and take the 69-67 victory.
Indiana Kokomo trailed for all but 87 seconds in the game but outscored Taylor by a 15-5 count in points off turnovers and held a decisive, 17-0, advantage in points in transition.
After the hot first half showing, Taylor managed only 10 field goals and 26 points in the final period. TU was just one-for-seven from deep after the break but still played with the lead for all but 12 seconds in the second stanza.
Hubbard was the headliner once again for the Purple and Gold, ending with 25 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks for his fourth double-double in five games to open the season. The senior notched his third game with at least 25 points and his third with at least 25 points and 12 boards.
Fuhrmann scored nine of his 12 in the first half, while Jeff Clayton and Gavin Yoon chipped in with eight points each.
Taylor (0-5) will return home on Friday, November 12 to host Miami-Middletown (0-2) in an 8:00 pm start.
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