Penha Nets Career-High 27 in Loss to No. 5 Indiana Wesleyan
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UPLAND, Ind. – For the second time in as many meetings this season, Taylor built a double-digit lead over Indiana Wesleyan behind a scoring outburst from CJ Penha but a second-half rally from the Wildcats spoiled the evening in an 87-72 defeat.
Penha opened the night with 14 points in the first seven minutes of action, helping Taylor to a 23-13 lead and the Trojans carried a 48-43 advantage to the half.
TU never trailed in the opening stanza, shooting 51.4 percent from the field and drilling seven triples to withstand a 62.1-percent rate from the Wildcats (23-4, 12-3 CL). The Trojans also outrebounded IWU by a 17-11 margin, ripping down eight offensive caroms, while Penha ended the period with 18 points on seven-of-nine shooting.
Taylor could not protect the lead however, as the visitors scored the first 10 points out of the break to claim their first lead of the contest and eventually put together a 28-10 run to open a 71-58 lead by the midway point of the half.
The IWU onslaught was fueled on both ends, as the Wildcats knocked down five triples in that stretch, while limiting Taylor to four field goals in the first 12:32 of the second half.
TU shot just 30.8 percent from the floor in the final 20 minutes against the IWU defense, while Indiana Wesleyan doubled up the Trojans on the glass, 22-11, and hit seven treys behind a 56.7-percent rate from the field.
Taylor got outscored in the contest by a 46-24 margin in the paint and shot just 42.9 percent overall, compared to IWU’s blistering 59.3-percent mark.
Penha finished with a career-best 27 points on nine-of-14 shooting and three-of-six from beyond the arc. Evan Crowe followed with 14 points, while Ryan Robinson and Vincent Miranda combined for 17 points and 10 assists.
Taylor (11-16, 5-10 CL) will play at No. 6 Mount Vernon Nazarene (23-4, 11-4 CL) on Saturday at 3:00 pm.