Taylor Battles past Walsh, 65-60

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - Taylor University didn't have the heralded Division I-A transfer, but then again the Trojans were perfectly happy with the contributions of their own big man as Doug Bell scored 24 points to lead Taylor to a 65-60 win over Walsh in a first-round Kiwanis-Wittenberg Holiday Classic game.

Taylor, ranked 17th in the nation in NAIA Division II, improved to 10-5 overall with the win, which moved the Trojans into the championship game at 8 p.m. Saturday. Walsh, ranked 24th in NAIA Division II, picked up 15 points in 18 foul-plagued minutes from former University of Cincinnati standout Robert Whaley, dropped to 7-5 while losing its third straight game. The Cavaliers now head to the consolation game at 3 p.m. Thursday.

This was a predictably tight game throughout, with Taylor holding a slight advantage during most of the final 20 minutes, in part thanks to Bell's 13 second-half points. After seven lead changes in the first half, Taylor never allowed Walsh to get ahead.

Walsh won the rebounding battle 37-25, but Taylor converted 54.5 percent of their shots from the field in the game, led by Bell's 10-of-16. The Cavaliers put four players in double figures, led Whaley, former College of Wooster letterwinner Randy Sistrunk with 12 points, Derek Chappell with 11 points off the bench and Corey Jones added 10.

Taylor got 13 points and six rebounds from Will McGinley, in support of Bell's efforts. R.J. Beucler added nine points and four boards.