No. 5 IWU Claims Key Win Over No. 24 Taylor in Battle for Grant County
January 28, 2026

No. 5 IWU Claims Key Win Over No. 24 Taylor in Battle for Grant County

MARION, Ind. – No. 5 Indiana Wesleyan men's basketball claimed The Battle for Grant County on Wednesday night, defeating No. 24 Taylor 72-63 inside Luckey Arena. The Wildcats fed off a loud home crowd of nearly 650 fans, using a strong second half to pull away and secure the rivalry victory.

Indiana Wesleyan trailed by two at halftime but flipped the momentum after the break, outscoring Taylor 43-32 over the final 20 minutes to defend home court.


THE ESSENTIALS

  • Location: Marion, Ind. | Luckey Arena
  • Records: IWU 18-3, 8-3 CRL | TU 16-5, 8-3 CRL
  • NAIA Top 25 Rankings: IWU – #5 | TU – #24


FIRST HALF

  • Taylor opened the game with early energy through the opening five minutes, jumping out to a 19-7 lead after shooting 5-5 from deep.
  • Indiana Wesleyan stayed within striking distance and trimmed the deficit to 23-15 midway through the half.
  • A Caedmon Bontrager layup with 2:18 remaining capped off a 11-0 run that held TU scoreless for nearly seven minutes of action.
  • Taylor carried a 31-29 advantage into halftime after closing the opening period with late scoring.


SECOND HALF

  • Indiana Wesleyan began with a strong start, scoring four consecutive baskets, including two 3-pointers by Caedmon Bontrager, to take a 39–31 lead.
  • Taylor responded with back-to-back buckets by Pete Combs, but IWU maintained their lead, extending it to 45–40 with 13:18 remaining after a layup from Jake Smith.
  • Defensive stops fueled momentum as IWU began to create separation midway through the period.
  • The Wildcats closed the game with composure, maintaining control down the stretch to secure the nine-point win.

 
KEY WILDCATS


LOOKING AHEAD

  • The Wildcats travel to take on Saint Francis (Ind.) on Saturday at 3:00 PM.
  • Links for video and stats will be available at IWUWildcats.com.


NEXT HOME GAME

  • IWU will be back in Luckey Arena on Wednesday to take on Huntington at 7:00 PM.
  • Links for tickets, video, and stats will be available at IWUWildcats.com.
  • Fans are encouraged to bring a stuffed animal to participate in the second-annual Teddy Bear Toss at halftime.


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