Box Score LEXINGTON, Ky. - Transylvania sophomore
Brandon Rash (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) scored a career-high 27 points Wednesday, propelling the Pioneers to a convincing 88-63 win over Franklin in men's Heartland Conference basketball action at the Beck Center.
Transy improved to 4-2 on the season, 2-1 in HCAC play, while the Grizzlies are 3-5, 1-2 HCAC.
Rash scored 15 of his points in the decisive second half. The Pioneers used a 13-2 run to open the second half to stretch a one-point lead to 12, 48-36. Transy would eventually lead by as many as 28 points in the late going.
Hot-shooting was the key for Transy, which made 74 percent of its shots (20 of 27) in the second half and 61 percent (35 of 57) overall. Franklin came in at 52 percent for the game (25 of 48), but cooled to 48 percent in the second half, which saw Transy outscore the visitors, 53-29.
It was Transy's highest scoring game of the season and Rash bested his previous career scoring high by nine points.
He received support from Tate Cox (Hindman, Ky.), a freshman guard who had a career-best 13 points to go with three rebounds. Ashley Hatfield (Pikeville, Ky.) added 12 points while freshman Brennan Bragg (Vevay, Ind.) came off the bench late to hit all three of his field goal attempts and finish with seven points. Sophomore Barrett Meyer (Frankfort, Ky.) had nine points in a reserve role.
Rash was 13 of 24 from the field and he finished with seven rebounds and four steals in 27 minutes of action.
Both teams shot well in the first half, which ended with the Pioneers on top by a point, 35-34. Transy was 15 of 30 for 50 percent while Franklin was even better, canning 14 of 25 for 56 percent. Each team managed a six-point lead in the first half.
Rash had 12 points and four rebounds in the opening period and Hatfield added 10 points. Meyer pitched in seven.
Clay Starrett led Franklin with 22 points, but the Pioneers held the Grizzlies' leading scorer, Will Conoley, to 11, six beneath his average.
The Pioneers are back in action on Saturday, hosting Rose-Hulman at 1 p.m. in the Beck Center. Transy's annual alumni game is scheduled for 11 a.m.
