Taylor WBB Takes Care of Business at Home against Lourdes

TU Takes Care of Business at Home against Lourdes

 

UPLAND, Ind. – The Taylor University women’s basketball team won inside Odle Arena on Thursday evening as the Trojans beat the Lourdes University Gray Wolves (4-9) by a score of 62-58.

Taylor finished each half on a high note, outscoring Lourdes 32-20 in the second and fourth quarters combined, an advantage that helped seal the deal for the Trojans at home.

The Trojans had their best shooting percentage of the night in the first quarter, maintaining a mark of 42.9 percent from the floor. Six first-quarter turnovers, however, fueled an even sharper Gray Wolf offensive attack as Lourdes snagged a 20-14 lead on 50-percent shooting heading into the second frame.

Led by Kayla Kirtley and her eight second-quarter points, the Trojans managed to even the score by the half. Strong ball movement energized the Trojan offense in the game’s second 10-minute block, as six of the team’s seven buckets were prefaced by a Purple-and-Gold assist.

Kirtley led all scorers at the half with 10 points in tandem with four rebounds, while sophomore Taylor Westgate contributed six points and five boards of her own.

Lourdes nurtured a two-point edge by the end of the third quarter, however, while shooting nearly 44 percent as a team and forcing another five Trojan turnovers. Nonetheless, senior, Lauren James, kept the Trojans in step with the Gray Wolves by scoring nine third-quarter points, six of which came from two big three-point baskets.

Down two heading into the fourth and final frame, the Trojans pulled out the victory while putting on a defensive clinic down the stretch. Taylor relentlessly stirred trouble in the Gray Wolf offense, causing seven fourth-quarter turnovers and limiting Lourdes to a mere 25-percent mark from the floor.

Meanwhile, the Trojan offense attacked from multiple angles as Merideth Deckard and James scored four points each, while Kirtley and Westgate each contributed three of their own.

Westgate finished with 16 total rebounds, bumping her league-leading season average up to 11.8 boards-per-game, while James ended up leading all scorers with 18 points.

Taylor has now defeated Lourdes in each of the past three seasons, hoarding the overall series advantage three games to none.

The Trojans (7-8, 1-3 CL) will be back in action on Saturday, December 18th, when they travel in-state to Oakland City (5-6) for a 4:00 pm ET matchup against the Mighty Oaks.