FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Junior forward Taylor Carver poured in a career-high 25 points but it wasn't enough for the Indiana Tech women's basketball team in a 70-57 loss to crosstown rival, No. 8 St. Francis at the Hutzell Center on Tuesday night.

The Cougars (11-4) got off to a fast start, scoring the first five points of the contest before Baylee Rinehart got the Warriors (7-9) on the board with a three-pointer. USF scored the next nine to take a 14-3 lead, but Tech used a 7-1 run to cut the deficit to five with 12:16 left in the half. Another Cougar run made it 26-16, but a pair of Carver free throws ended the run and sparked a 9-2 rally for Tech to cut the deficit to three, 28-25. The Cougars drained a three-pointer just before the break to take a 31-28 lead into the locker room.

The home team opened the second half with four of the first six points to take a seven-point lead, but Carver again hit a pair of free throws to end the run and spark the Tech offense. A Carver jumper followed by a Shallante Clements layup and a three-ball from Taylor Seiss gave the Orange and Black their first lead of the contest, 37-35. The Cougars went back up four, but a pair of Seiss threes and a Carver jumper put the Warriors back in front. After trading several baskets, Craver put Tech in front again with 10 minutes to play, but a 16-2 run by the Cougars pushed the deficit to 12, 61-49 and the Warriors couldn't recover, falling 70-57.

Tech finished the contest 21-for-57 (36.8%) from the field, 7-for-22 (31.8%) from behind the arc and 8-for-10 (80%) at the charity stripe while grabbing 39 rebounds. Defensively, the Cougars shot 38.1 percent (24-for-63) from the floor and tallied 44 rebounds.

Carver finished with a game-high 25 points while also grabbing six rebounds. Seiss also finished in double-figures with 15 points with Rayana Villalpando leading the team with a game-high 13 rebounds in the contest.

Tech will face their third ranked team in as many games when they return to action on Saturday, Jan. 3 against #RV Madonna at the Schaefer Center. Tip is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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