2007-2008 Season Review

The 2007-08 Trojans depicted a basketball team on the rise. In the midst of a rebuilding process, Taylor shot out of the gate with a 15-4 start. Climbing to as high as 20^th in the NAIA national polls the Trojans knocked off seven nationally ranked teams during the season. Picked sixth in the preseason Mid-Central Conference poll, the young Trojans posted a 4-2 record against the top three teams in the conference, including a regular season sweep of the conference champions, Bethel College.

However, their youth was evident in a lack of consistency and an inability to prevail in close games. Stumbling in the second half of the season, they finished with a 20-12 record and 8-8 in conference play. Just a couple of wins away from finishing in the top three of the league, Taylor dropped six games by a total of 20 points and split with the bottom four teams in league play.

Highlighting the 07-08 nonconference schedule was a trip to Columbia, MO over Christmas break. The Trojans recorded two wins over NAIA Division I schools. On the first day of the Columbia College Classic Taylor overcame the host school in a defensive battle by a score of 48-39. Taylor capped off the road trip with a win over eventual NAIA National Tournament participant Cumberland University.

Conference season was in full swing following an encouraging Christmas break. The Trojans won their first three games in January including a road win against 12^th ranked Huntington University. The two teams played to a 28-28 tie at halftime, but Taylor opened the second half with a 14-2 run. Leading by as many as 14 points in the second half the Foresters cut the lead to as little as two points before the Trojans clinched the 68-65 victory. Senior Bret Burchard and junior Jacob Bream each hit a free throw in the closing seconds to secure the win for Taylor. The win put the Trojans in a tie for first place in the MCC race.

The young Trojans went on to lose three straight conference games but showed glimpses of a resurgence following the skid with three consecutive wins, including two over nationally ranked teams. On January 26 Taylor traveled to Bethel College where they knocked off the 7^th ranked team in the country 74-70.

Junior guard Daniel Cox led the way with 12 first half points. He teamed with Jacob Bream in the second stanza combining for the first 17 points of the half for the Trojans. Their efforts amounted to a 19-point advantage with 12:39 to play.

However, Bethel took advantage of seven straight Trojan turnovers to post a 14-0 run and cut the lead to just five points. Taylor survived the attack and held the lead for the remainder of the game. The Pilots twice drew within one point, but Taylor knocked down 14 of their 17 free throw attempts to secure the win. The Trojans also connected on 56% of their shots including 47% from behind the arc to post their highest scoring total of the conference season.

Just four days after the win Taylor defeated 14th ranked Grace College at home to record back to back wins over the top two teams in the conference. The nation's second-ranked defense allowed Grace to shoot just 37.8% from the field while holding the Lancers to their lowest scoring total of the season.

Taylor ran an efficient offense, connecting on 13 of 22 shots in the second half, completing a night in which they shot 54% from the field. 

The Trojans built their biggest lead of the contest at 45-31 with 13:02 remaining.  Grace would whittle that lead down to a five point deficit at 53-48 at the 2:49 mark, but a clutch three by Daniel Cox gave Taylor some breathing room with 1:22 to play.

Over the final minute of the game, Taylor made all six of their free throw attempts to finish off their perfect night from the line and complete the 64-54 victory.

Jacob Bream had a career night on the boards for the Trojans.  The junior pulled down 10 rebounds, besting his previous high of 9 against Benedictine earlier this season.  Bream also chipped in with 3 assists and 2 blocks to lead Taylor in both categories.

The win moved the Trojans into a three-way tie for third place in the conference.

Taylor responded with three more consecutive losses before snapping the skid with a win over Spring Arbor on senior night.

The 2007-08 campaign came to a close in the semifinals of the conference tournament at Bethel College, but not before one more highlight. The Trojans erased a regular season sweep at the hands of Indiana Wesleyan by defeating the Wildcats on the road in the first round. The win set up the game between the Trojans and the Bethel Pilots. Taylor's inexperience in big games was too big of an obstacle to overcome and the season came to a close with a 67-57 loss.

In light of a roller coaster season, Coach Patterson's team recorded 20 victories for the 21^st time in his career. In typical Patterson fashion the Trojans finished the season ranked nationally in 11 statistical categories including top 10 finishes in scoring defense per game (56.45 points, 2^nd), field goal percentage defense (.401, 7^th), total rebound defense (29.8 rebounds per game, 8^th), and free throw percentage (.736, 10^th).