Taylor, Pomeroys off to USCAA national tourney

Callan Taylor

St. Mary-of-the-Woods photo

Greencastle junior Callan Taylor and the St. Mary-of-the-Woods Pomeroys women’s basketball team will be competing this week in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association national tournament at Uniontown, Pa.

The Pomeroys will be the eighth seed in the eight-team tournament, and meet top-seeded Paul Quinn College of Dallas, Texas, at 10 a.m. on Wednesday in the first round.

The winner advances to the semifinals at 11 a.m. on Friday against the winner of Dean College and Silver Lake College, while the loser will play in a consolation bracket game at 9:15 a.m. against the Dean-Silver Lake loser.

St. Mary-of-the-Woods has an 11-12 record and scores an astounding 83.6 points per game in its fast-paced style while shooting 33.7 percent from the field.

Paul Quinn is 21-9 on the season, and has won its last two games. The Tigers averages 72.4 points per game and shoot 39.1 percent from the field.

Offensively, they are led by junior guard Te’Ana Washington, who averages 10.1 pts, 4.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

Defensively, Paul Quinn allows 65.7 points per game and forces 9.9 steals per game. The Pomeroys allow 88.8 points per game.

Taylor, a junior guard, has played in all 23 games for the Pomeroys and has started 10.

She averages 10.1 points per game, shooting 33.1 per cent from the field, 24.5 percent from 3-point range and 74.5 percent from the line.

Taylor averages 19.0 minutes played per game, with her points-per-40-minute average standing at 21.0

She also averages 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.

SMWC coach Deanna Bradley is excited that her team was able to earn its fifth trip to the USCAA national tournament.

“We are quite surprised but very excited about making it back to nationals,” she said. “The team played strongly over the weekend and I look forward to that carrying over in practice to prepare for nationals.”

Previous appearances in the USCAA national tournament by St. Mary-of-the-Woods came in the 2001-02, 2009-10, 2011-12 and 20-14-15 seasons.