Trojans Start with Exhibition Loss at Ohio
October 30, 2009
The Taylor University men's basketball team got its season underway Friday evening in an exhibition contest at NCAA Div. I Ohio University. The Trojans were defeated by the Bobcats 76-40 in a game that will not count toward the season record of either team.
For Taylor head coach Paul Patterson it was a reunion of sorts with Ohio head coach John Groce and assistant coach Chris Holtmann. The two played for Patterson in the early 1990s and then went on to serve as assistant coaches under the NAIA Hall of Famer. Groce and Holtmann were teammates on Patterson's 1994 team that was ranked No. 1 in the country and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NAIA National Tournament.
"I have a lot of respect for what they (Groce and Holtmann) have done," said Patterson after the game. "They are two guys who are extremely proud of Taylor University. They do it [coaching] for the right reasons and in the right way."
The Trojans, who had three freshman and two sophomores in their starting lineup, were smothered by the Bobcats early. After the first nine minutes of the game Ohio had taken a 25-2 lead on 10-of-15 shooting from the field.
Taylor outscored Ohio over the final 11 minutes of the half, but still trailed 38-17 at the break. The Trojans were 7-of-22, including 3-of-10 on 3-point attempts in the first half. Freshman guard Tommy Peller had eight points at the half to lead the Trojans.
The inside game of the Bobcats continued to take its toll on the Trojans to start the second half. Ohio went on a 29-12 run to begin the second stanza on their way to a 67-29 lead with 7:43 remaining in the game. Groce's squad finished with a 44-14 advantage off points in the paint.
In the final 7:43, Taylor outscored Ohio 11-9 after senior Austin Thoms and freshman Casey Coons each hit three-pointers in the final two minutes.
After scoring just two points in the first half, Coons shot 6-of-14 and 3-of-7 from long range to finish with a team-high 16 points. The Indianapolis native also collected a game-high five steals.
It was Peller and sophomore Jake Burkholder who led the Trojans in the rebounding column, collecting six boards apiece. Peller added four assists in his collegiate debut.
Ohio had four players score in double figures, led by Reggie Keely with 18.
Taylor will face Miami-Hamilton on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. in the Trojans' home opener.
That contest will be followed by an exhibition game at Hinkle Fieldhouse with Butler, which was ranked earlier this week as the No. 10 team in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll.