LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Gustavus Adolphus took the lead for good on a three with 54 seconds left Thursday and handed Transylvania a 66-62 loss in the D3hoops.com Classic at the Southpoint Arena.
Boxscore Game 2
The Pioneers, who defeated La Verne in overtime on Wednesday, came into the contest with a 10-0 record, matching the school mark set by the 1990-01 team. They led at halftime by a 35-32 margin over a Gustavus team (6-3) that knocked Hardin-Simmons from the unbeaten ranks 24 hours earlier.
Brandon Rash had 13 points and four assists in the first half, hitting five of six from the field and both of his free throws.
Ethan Spurlin added nine points and
Tate Cox had five. Transy was 13 of 25 from the field, including five of seven from three point range.
Gustavus was 11 of 20 from the field and hit nine of 11 from the free throw line. Transy was four of seven from the charity stripe.
Rash put Transy ahead 60-59 when he hit one of two free throws with 1:10 to play before Tyler Grey's three made it 62-59. Gustavus hit four of six free throws down the stretch to thwart Transy's comeback hopes in the final minute.
Rash finished the game with 24 points, six assists, and four rebounds while Spurlin had 15 points and four rebounds. Cox had 13 points and four assists as the Pioneers finished with a 20 of 47 effort from the field, nine of 19 from long range.
Gustavus hit 21 of 44 field goal attempts and 19 of 25 free throws. Transy was 13 of 19 from the stripe for the game. Gustavus had a 33-25 edge on the boards.
The Pioneers return to action at the Beck Center next Wednesday, facing Franklin in a Heartland Conference matchup at 7:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY RECAP
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - It took an overtime period in the desert on Wedneday, but the Transylanvia men defeated La Verne 73-64 in the D3hoops.com Classic in Las Vegas, Nev., running its season-opening win streak to 10 games in a row.
The Pioneers are 10-0, matching the best start in school history, while the Leoparards, winners of three of their last four coming into action, are 3-6. The Invitational brings together some of the top programs in NCAA Division III basketball. Transy successfully succeeded in the best start in school history. The 1990-91 squad also won its first 10 games of the season.
Junior
Brandon Rash paced Transy with 21 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
Barrett Meyer added 19 points, including 14 in the first half. He also had two assists and five boards.
Tate Cox finished with 10 points, three assists, and four rebounds.
La Verne outshot Transy by a 53.5 to 46.2 percent margin, but the Pioneers forced 24 turnovers. There were 18 lead changes in the tight contest and 12 ties.
Meyer missed a shot at the buzzer that could have ended the contest in regulation, but the Pioneers scored the first eight points in overtime and forced four La Verne turnovers in the final five minutes to avoid the upset.
Austin Napolitano had 24 points to lead La Verne.
Transy is back in action in Las Vegas on Thursday when it takes on Gustavus Adolphus at 9 p.m. PST. Gustavus (5-3) handed Hardin-Simmons its first loss of the year Wednesday by a 71-69 margin.
