Taylor hopes to make best of time at NIU

By Jacob Onak

NIU women’s basketball has guard/forward Satavia Taylor listed as a senior, but Taylor took a curvy road to get to NIU.

After playing a season and a half at Loyola University in Chicago, Taylor transferred in the first semester of the 2010-2011 season. Taylor made her debut after the first semester ended in the 2011-2012 season on Dec. 11, 2011.

Despite getting a late start to last years season, Taylor appeared in 25 games for the Huskies, starting five of those games. She averaged 21.9 minutes a game and 7.5 points per game. Taylor dropped 14 3-pointers last season, with a 30.4 shooting percentage from behind the arc.

Taylor said she doesn’t really feel like a senior in her second season at NIU.

“I actually feel like a sophomore,” Taylor said. “Last year I got to play halfway through the season and previously before that at my other college I didn’t really get the opportunity or have a lot of chances to have that college experience and get out on the floor. So I’m learning new things everyday, and teammates push me along with my coaches so credit to them.”

This season Taylor’s consistency has really been a key to the Huskies attack. She is averaging 10.8 points per game, starting in all six of the games this season. She has scored in double digits in four of the six games this season, including her season high 18 points, going six for six from behind the arc, in the Huskies 76-46 win against Morehead State.

A hard worker on the court, Taylor credits her work ethic to her teammates and coaches.

“I just like to go hard,” Taylor said. “My teammates push me everyday and we are competitive everyday so they are the ones making me better offensively and defensively, so the credit goes to them.“

On the court Taylor doesn’t seem to panic. She has a smooth shot and can be a force from behind the arc. She is a tough defender and has bought into head coach Kathi Bennett’s defensive minded play perfectly.

Though her time here at NIU will seem short, Taylor said she has a couple things she can do when it comes time to say goodbye to the Huskies.

“Honestly I have a couple options,” Taylor said. “I have to finish off my academics so I probably have another semester. If I do have the opportunity to go overseas. That is an option or I could also continue on with school.”

NIU will need Taylor’s offensive consistency with the young, inexperienced team that they have. Bennett has pegged the team to have a strong second half to the season and expects Taylor to be a big part of that.