Box Score LEXINGTON, Ky. - Transylvania's Brandon Rash (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds Saturday, lifting the Pioneers to a pulsating 72-69 win over Wilmington in men's college basketball action at the Beck Center.

Transy improved to 2-1 on the season while knocking an opponent from the ranks of the unbeaten for the second game in a row. The Quakers of the Ohio Athletic Conference are now 3-1.

Rash, who hit seven of 11 shots from the field, also handed out three assists and added one steal. Ashley Hatfield (Pikeville, Ky.) was seven of eight from the free throw line and finished with 13 points while Barrett Meyer (Frankfort, Ky.) came off the bench to add 12.

Freshman Tate Cox (Hindman, Ky.) had 11 points, including a pair of free throws with 17 seconds to play that gave Transy a 71-67 lead. Chris Owens (Maysville, Ky.) hit one of two free throws with 10 seconds left to seal the victory.He finished with seven points, all in the second half.

Transy shot 47 percent from the field for the game, but won it at the free throw line. The Pioneers were 23 of 30, including 19 of 24 in the second half, while Wilmington was 14 of 16. The Quakers canned 12 of 14 second half free throws.

Wilmington hit 24 of 50 shots from the field, for 48 percent. The visitors were led by Antonia Bowman, who had 16 points, and Brandon Candella, who added 15.

The visitors went up 3-0 to start the game, but it would be their final lead of the period. The Pioneers, who got nine points from Rash and eight from Hatfield, would push their advantage to as many as nine in the opening 20 minutes, 12-3 at the 14:26 mark on a pair of Hatfield free throws.

Meyer had seven points for the Pioneers off the bench in the first half.

But even though the Quakers couldn't regain an advantage, they did hang tough, trailing by no more than six points over the final 10 minutes of the period.

Transy hit 48 percent of its field goal attempts in the first half, including five of 10 from three-point range, while the Quakers warmed up after a cold start to connect on 50 percent. They also held a 15-12 advantage on the boards. Candella hit all three of his three-point attempts for nine points in the period and finished the game five for six from long range.

Although Wilmington forced seven ties, the last at 67-67 with a minute to go, it never regained the lead after the opening bucket.

Transy returns to action on Wednesday, traveling to Hanover for its Heartland Conference season opener. Tip off is set for 7:30 p.m.