Biography
Career Awards and Honors:
2x Honorable Mention All-MIAA Guard (2021-22 & 2022-23)
2022-23 - Taggart started in all 30 games for the Lions as a guard while averaging 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 threes, 0.7 steals and 0.3 blocks a game in 31.7 minutes ... For the season scored 360 points going 123-for-311 from the field, 59-for-176 from three, 55-for-67 from free throws while grabbing 104 rebounds, dishing out 96 assists, blocking eight shots and collecting 21 steals ... Shot 39.5 percent from the field, 33.5 percent from three and 82.1 percent from free throws.
2021-22 - Taggart appeared in 29 games for the Lions drawing the start in 16 as a guard ... Averaged 26.9 minutes, 11.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists a game while shooting 48.0 percent from the field, 42.7 percent from three going 56-of-131 and 88.4 percent from free throws... Scored a season-high 26 points against Washburn (Feb. 24) going 9-of-16 from the field, 4-of-10 from three and 6-of-6 from free throws while adding two steals and assists along with three rebounds on the road... Made five threes against Missouri Western (Feb. 21) and finished with 25 points on the road... Hauled in seven rebounds against Pittsburg State (Feb. 19) and added 22 points on the road... Provided seven assists against Nebraska - Kearney (Jan. 22) and added 17 points and five rebounds to go with two steals on teh road in his third start of the season... Blocked two shots against Lincoln (Feb. 7) to go with 23 points on the road... Had three steals against Pittsburg State (Feb. 16) along with five assists and eight points at home... Had 11 games scoring 15 or more games including four scoring 20 or more... Made four or more threes in six games and had eight games providing four or more assists... Recorded his 100th rebound against #15 Central Oklahoma (Feb. 26).
2020-21 - Taggart appeared in 19 games getting the start in two for the Lions as a shooting guard ... Averaged 11.8 minutes a game, 2.5 points, 1.2 rebounds while shooting 34.5 percent from three ... Scored a season-high 11 points in back-to-back games against Fort Hays State (Jan. 21) and Nebraska-Kearney (Jan. 23) at home, against the Lopers went 3-of-4 from three while adding five rebounds and two assists ... Part of the Lions team that was was ranked in Division II, seventh in defensive rebounds per game (29.35) and total rebounds /9888), ninth in assists (368), 10th in free throws attempted (488) and blocks (81), 11th in free throws made (354), 18th in scoring offense (83.4), 20th in field goal percentage (49.0), 21st in three-point field goals made (202), 22nd in assists per game (16.0), 27th in three-point field goals attempted (532) and 29th in rebounding margin (+4.7). The Lions led the MIAA in assists per game, defensive rebounds, scoring offense and rebounds per game (38.61), were second in blocked shots per game (3.5), field goal percentage, rebound margin and blocks. Ranked third in scoring margin (+1.5), three-point field goals made per game (8.8), three-point field goals percentage (38.0), assists and rebounds. The Lions were fourth in field goal percentage defense (45.0) and three-point field goals made, fifth in free throws made, offensive rebounds per game (9.26), sixth in three-point field goals attempted, assist to turnover ratio (1.03) and free throws attempted.
Prior to Southern - Taggart comes to Southern after transferring from Southern Illinois – Carbondale ... Taggart originally signed with the Salukis to play both basketball and football, but redshirted and will have a full four years of eligibility with the Lions ... Taggart was a decorated recruit coming out of Euerka High School and was ranked as the No. 2 tight end in the state ... But his talents on the basketball court were equally as impressive ... Taggart scored over 1,200 points in his career and is second on the all-time scoring list at EHS ... He averaged 21 points per game his senior year and finished as the school's all-time leading three-point shooter ... Taggart was a three-time All-Conference and All-District selection on the hardwood for coach Austin Kirby, while also earning All-State honors as a senior ... He helped the Wildcats to a District Championship and a spot in the sectionals in 2019 ... On the football field, Taggart was a three-year letter winner and was a three-time All-Conference and All-District selection, while picking up All-Metro honors in 2018 ... He helped the Wildcats to three District Championships and a spot in the Missouri State Semifinals in 2017.
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Personal -Â Taggart is the son of Jeff and Jane Taggart and plans to major in health promotion at Southern.
