No. 7 Saint Francis Pulls Away in Second Half to Top (RV) Taylor, 62–44
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
(RV) Taylor (14-2, 4-2) | 11 | 12 | 6 | 15 | 44 |
|
#7 Saint Francis (Ind.) (15-1, 5-1) | 8 | 15 | 17 | 22 | 62 |
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The No. 7 University of Saint Francis (Ind.) women's basketball team returned to the Hutzell Athletic Center for a Crossroads League clash with (RV) Taylor University on Wednesday, January 7. A strong second half propelled the Cougars to a 62–44 victory over the Trojans.
Taylor edged ahead early, taking an 11–8 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Saint Francis responded in the second, opening the period with an 8–0 run to regain the lead midway through the quarter. The two teams battled in the last minutes of the first half, with the score tied at 23-23 at the break.
Saint Francis held Taylor to just six points in the third quarter while scoring 17 as the Cougars pulled away for a 40-29 lead. Saint Francis carried the momentum into the fourth, pouring in 22 points to pull away and secure the win. With the victory, SF improves to 5-1 in Crossroads League play, while Taylor drops to 14-2 (4-2 CL).
Saint Francis shot 43.9% (25-of-57) from the field and controlled the boards with a 42–30 rebounding advantage. Renna Schwieterman led the Cougars with 21 points and eight rebounds. Cali Gregory added 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting, while Taylor Fordyce finished with nine points and nine rebounds. Isabella Gizzi contributed five points, seven rebounds, and six assists, and Emma Reust pulled down nine rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench.
Up next, Saint Francis (15-1, 5-1 CL) travels to Indianapolis for a top-10 matchup against No. 5 Marian University on Saturday, January 10. Tipoff between the Cougars and Knights is set for 1:00 p.m.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point, Lafayette and online. Saint Francis Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 21 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. More than 1,900 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.
