UPLAND, Ind. -- Despite overcoming a double digit halftime deficit the No. 4-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University women's basketball team lost 74-69 in overtime to Grant County rival Taylor (Ind.) University on Wednesday night in Upland, Indiana.

The loss is the first this season for the Wildcats in Mid-Central College Conference play. IWU also sees its seven game win streak come to a close.

Indiana Wesleyan hoped to pull off their eighth straight victory early as IWU raced out to a 9-2 lead in the first three minutes of the contest. But Taylor evaporated the seven point deficit in five minutes as the score was tied 14-14.

Taylor trailed 18-16 with less than nine minutes to play following a free throw by IWU freshman guard Taylor Goshert. TU would run off eight of the next nine points to gain a 24-19 lead with 6:37 before the half.

The Trojans continued to up their lead all the way to halftime. TU sophomore guard Morgan McLeish connected on a pair of free throws with two seconds left in the half to give the Trojans their largest lead of the half at 13 (42-29).

Taylor rarely missed during the first half at 66.7-percent (16 of 24) from the field. Taylor hit all three of their 3-point attempts and all seven free throws.

Indiana Wesleyan continued to trail by a wide margin in the opening of the second half. Taylor held a 53-42 advantage with 11:44 to play in regulation. But the next four minutes changed the complex of the game as Indiana Wesleyan stormed back.

The Wildcats rattled off 13 straight points, capped by a 3-pointer by Goshert to give IWU the 55-53 lead, its first since a 19-18 advantage. IWU sophomore center Krystal Stoneking scored on three straight possessions for six points during the run and Goshert added five points to bookend the 13-0 run.

The teams traded baskets and Taylor held a 59-57 lead with 4:59 to play in the second half.

Indiana Wesleyan looked to take control of the game with seven straight points to capture a 64-59 lead while the game clock read 1:30. But Taylor junior guard Becca Morris drilled a 3-pointer on the next possession to bring it to two points. Following an Indiana Wesleyan turnover, Taylor tied the game with another Morris bucket to force overtime with the score tied 64-64.

Taylor scored the final five points of regulation and took that into overtime by scoring the first four points to lead 68-64 with less than two minutes remaining. IWU junior guard Kayla Thompson brought the 9-0 Taylor run to a close with a 3-pointer at 1:37 to bring the deficit to 68-67.

Indiana Wesleyan junior forward Elaine Hessel scored in the paint to bring the Wildcats within one at 70-69 with 23 seconds to play. Two Taylor free throws pushed the lead to 72-69 and one final chance for the Wildcats to tie.

But Indiana Wesleyan turned the ball over with five seconds left to wrap up the victory for Taylor.

Indiana Wesleyan was able to remain close despite shooting 39.7-percent (23 of 58) while Taylor connected on 53.2-percent (25 of 47). IWU took 11 more shots in the contest and out-rebounded TU 35-30, including 13-to-3 on offensive rebounds.

Hessel finished with 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting. She pulled down four rebounds and dished out six assists. Stoneking added 12 points and eight boards while sophomore guard Rachel Steinbarger and Goshert each finished with 11 points.

Indiana Wesleyan will next play at 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 23 as the Wildcats host Goshen (Ind.) College in Luckey Arena.