Box Score
LEXINGTON, Ky. -No. 15 Transylvania won its 10th game in a row Saturday, taking a 72-52 win over Manchester and clinching the Heartland Conference regular season championship in men's Heartland Conference basketball action at the Beck Center.
Transy (21-2, 15-1 HCAC), who came into the game with the sixth-highest three- point percentage (41.3) in the country, shot a blazing 50 percent (13-of-26) from beyond the arc on the afternoon. Sharpshooters
Barrett Meyer (17 points) and
Tate Cox (15) shot a combined 10-of-16 from downtown.
Manchester falls to 9-14, 7-9 HCAC.
The Pioneers clinched their first HCAC regular season championship since 2009 when Hanover lost to Bluffton to fall three games back with two to play.
Spectacular shooting from the field keyed Transy to the lopsided win over Manchester.
“You usually don't go into a game expecting to make half your shots from three,” said head coach
Brian Lane, “but we moved the basketball around, created some mismatches, and we got some really good looks.”
Transy was nine of 16 from long range in the second half, when it blew the game open. The Pioneers led by just five, 34-29, at intermission.
The Pioneers, who completed their home regular season schedule with a perfect 13-0 record, were led in scoring by
Ethan Spurlin, who poured in 16 of his 21 points and grabbed seven of his eight rebounds in the first half.
The Pioneers opened the second half of play on an 18-2 run to put the game away, finishing the game with a 21-3 advantage in points off turnovers.
Brandon Rash, who was limited by foul trouble, was also solid for Transy, pitching in seven points, four assists and a pair of rebounds in just 18 minutes played.
“We're a pretty versatile team,” Lane added. “Spurlin was driving to the basket well and Rash was a huge spark for us to start the second half. When Manchester collapsed on them, we were able to kick it out and find open shooters."
The Pioneers honored seniors
Chris Owens and
Michael Stone in a Senior Day ceremony at halftime. Transy has now won 74 of 103 games over the past four years, surpassing the 20-win mark twice and winning an HCAC championship with another one on the horizon.
Owens scored seven points and grabbed five rebounds in 32 minutes of action, while Stone added five points, a pair of rebounds and a steal.
“I was really excited for Chris and Mike, to have such a good win on Senior Day. We've been talking about trying to get somebody down and keep going, and it was nice to be able to do that today.”
More than 20 basketball alumni representing graduation classes from as far back as 1941 were also honored at the break, as Transy hosted its annual Coaches vs. Cancer event, complete with door prizes, games, contests, and a silent auction with proceeds dedicated to the American Cancer Society.
“This was a fantastic crowd. We love having the alumni back. And for us to play well in front of a full house, it's extra special,” said Lane. “Hopefully we were able to raise some money for Coaches vs. Cancer. The exciting thing here at Transy is that every coach in the athletic department becomes a part of it, we just happen to use this venue for the event.”
The Pioneers are on the road for their final two games of the season, with a trip to Hanover on Wednesday and a game at Bluffton on Saturday. The Pioneers will host the HCAC tournament Feb. 24-26 at the Beck Center with the winner earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
