TU Delivers in Overtime Victory Over No. 24 Rio Grande
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KINGSPORT, Tenn. – A back and forth contest fell the way of the Trojans, as they utilized extra time to snag the victory. No. 19 Taylor (8-3, 0-1 CL) outscored the No. 24 RedStorm 13-5 in the overtime period, winning 86-78 in Saturday’s matchup.
Neither team could gain separation on the night, as the Purple and Gold acquired the largest lead of either team with a 10 point advantage in overtime.
Taylor put together a strong offensive performance, accumulating 86 points, which was seven more than the team’s season average. The victory also marked TU’s second win over a ranked opponent this season.
After 10 minutes of action, Rio Grande (6-1) found themselves with a six-point lead. Racing back, Taylor began the second quarter on an 18-6 run. Aubrey Wright played a key role in the offensive spurt, tallying eight-straight points to close the deficit.
The two teams were evenly matched in the second half with eight ties and 19 lead changes in the third and fourth quarters.
TU’s experience came up clutch, as junior Abby Buchs dropped six points in overtime, outscoring Rio Grande by herself. For the night, Buchs collected 23 points, six rebounds and three assists, while going eight-of-11 from the free throw line.
Kendall Bradbury entered Saturday’s contest ranked second in the NAIA for total scoring and notched her seventh 20 point outing with 25 points in Taylor’s win. The senior also grabbed 10 rebounds to log her fifth double-double on the season.
Becca Buchs also made an impact on the scoring column, as the third Trojan with 20 points on Saturday. Buchs pulled in 22 points and 10 rebounds for her third-consecutive double-double. The junior guard went eight-of-12 from the field and four-of-six from three point land, converting at a 66.7 percent clip.
The No. 19 Trojans (8-3, 0-1 CL) will return to Crossroads League action on Wednesday, taking on No. 4 Marian (8-2, 1-0 CL) at 7:00 pm.