Bluejays defeat Falcons, Coyotes

The Tabor College women faced a test last week with two road games against teams either ranked or receiving votes in the national poll. The Bluejays came away unscathed, to improve to 13-0 in KCAC play.

Friends?Tabor won its second road game of the week by defeating the No. 25 Falcons, 76-67.

The Bluejays relied heavily on the three-ball, shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc (13-26), including a blistering 62.5 percent in the first half (10-16).

The game was a three-point showcase from the start, as each team made two threes in the first 2:17. Tabor?s came courtesy of Taylor Hurd. Friends built a 13-6 lead, but from there, Tabor caught fire.

Taylor Deniston drained back-to-back threes to ignite an 18-0 Bluejay flourish. Kayla Wilgers made a pair of treys during that stretch, and the period ended with Tabor in front, 24-13.

Tabor outscored Friends, 21-17 in the second quarter. Kaleigh Troxell led the effort by draining three three-pointers. The Bluejays ended the half on an 8-0 run to lead, 45-30, at halftime.

Friends used a 15-4 run to narrow the gap to 49-45. Tabor?s scoring drought lasted more than four minutes before Kayla Wilgers broke it with a three-pointer at 2:59. The period ended with Tabor in front, 56-49.

Tabor regained a double-digit lead, 63-53, when Troxell made her fourth three-pointer, and the Bluejays built their lead to 71-57. But with Friends picking up the pressure, the Falcons outscored Tabor 10-5, trimming the final margin to nine.

Troxell led the Bluejays with 16 points on 4-for-5 shooting beyond the arc. Tena Loewen scored 11 points, and Jurnee Reid had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Kansas Wesleyan?Tabor rolled to a 53-40 victory Wednesday over the Coyotes, who are receiving votes in the Top 25 poll.

The Bluejays got off to a hot start on both ends of the court, making more than 58 percent of their shots in the first quarter (7-12), while limiting Kansas Wesleyan to 25 percent (3-12).

With the Coyotes leading, 6-5, Morgan Ediger made a basket to ignite a 14-2 run. Kansas Wesleyan scored its final field goal of the quarter at 2:08, then Taylor Deniston and Kayla Wilgers each made a three. Tabor led, 19-8 at the first break.

Kaleigh Troxell scored the second quarter?s first five points to aid a 9-1 run that put Tabor in front, 28-9. Kansas Wesleyan went 0-for-7 from the field in the second quarter, making just six free throws. Tabor led, 30-14, at intermission.

Kansas Wesleyan shot 16 percent from the field in the first half (3-19). Tabor shot 48 percent (12-25).

Tabor increased its lead to 40-19 with a 9-1 run only to have the Coyotes score the final four points for a 40-23 margin heading into the final break.

Tabor enjoyed a 43-25 lead with 8:16 to play, but Kansas Wesleyan began closing the gap. Over the next 7:23, the Coyotes outscored Tabor 14-5 to trim the lead to 48-39.

Nicole Decker made five of six free throws in the final 46 seconds and Tabor won by 13.

Deniston led the Bluejay effort with nine points. Troxell and Wilgers each added eight.

Coming?The 19th-ranked Bluejays (13-0, 16-6) will host Bethany (3-9, 7-14) Wednesday at 6 p.m. Tabor will travel to Central Christian Saturday for a 3 p.m. game. The Bluejays will resume conference play Feb. 4 at Oklahoma Wesleyan (9-4, 15-8).

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