UPLAND, Ind. - The No. 10 University of Saint Francis women's basketball team used a strong second half to come back and defeat Taylor University by a final score of 71-60 on Saturday, January 25. 

After the Cougars took an early 6-0 lead, the Trojans began to find their rhythm offensively, tying the score at 10-10 with 6:06 left in the first quarter. The two teams continued to trade baskets for the remainder of the quarter, ending with a 17-17 tie as they headed into the second quarter. The back-and-forth battle continued in the second quarter, with neither team managing to establish more than a three-point lead until the 1:06 mark, when Taylor made a bucket and a pair of free throws, bringing the score to 31-26. Two additional free throws extended the Trojans' lead to 33-26 at halftime.

Taylor was able to extend their lead to ten points with 7:21 remaining in the third quarter. However, the Cougars responded with a 7-0 run, cutting the Trojans' lead to 39-38 at the 4:34 mark. Saint Francis's offense heated up, as they shot 76.9% in the third quarter, allowing them to come back and take a 52-46 lead. As shots continued to fall for Saint Francis, Taylor's offense slowed down in the fourth quarter. The Cougars maintained their lead and extended it to 13 points with 3:08 left to play in the game. USF held off the Trojans for a 71-60 victory, improving to 8-2 in conference play.

The Cougars shot 51.9% (27-52) from the floor while outscoring Taylor 38-16 in the paint. Freshman Cali Gregory finished with a team-high 18 points, followed by Isabella Gizzi with 16 points. Gizzi also led in rebounds with seven. Cassidy Crawford added 13 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Julia Mantyla finished with 11 points and four assists. 

Up next, the #10 Cougars (18-2, 8-2) will host Goshen College for a midweek Crossroads League matchup on January 29.

Cougar fans stay updated with all events and recaps with USF Athletics by visiting saintfranciscougars.com.