ANDERSON, Ind.—Precise shooting helped the No. 16 Transylvania University women's basketball team explode to a dominating 41-point win in an 85-44 rout, as the Pioneers topped Anderson University Saturday in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference match-up.

The Pioneers knocked down 15-of-29 (51.7 %) from downtown in the game—one shy of the Transylvania record of three-pointers made in a single game set Nov. 8, 1996—as nine different players converted on a three-point attempt. The Transylvania defense held the home standing Ravens to 17-of-49 (34.7 percent) from the floor and pulled down 24 defensive rebounds. The unrelenting Pioneer defense forced a season-high 25 turnovers in the win, 11 of which were steals. The Pioneers controlled all facets of the contest racking up 41 points off Anderson turnovers and 30 points in the paint. Transylvania also demonstrated its depth tallying 36 points off the bench, as 11 Pioneers recorded points.

The Pioneers (10-1, 4-0) held a commanding 38-25 lead at the half and opened to the second half with an 18-2 run on their way to the biggest win of the season. Transylvania's defense continued to limit Anderson's possessions keeping the Ravens out of the basket on the opening possession. Senior Alex McKenzie grabbed the defensive rebound and followed with a basket on the other end of the floor to give the Pioneers their first points of the half.

Sophomore guard Hannah Neeley sank back-to-back three-pointers to extend the Transylvania lead to 54-25, as the Pioneers held Anderson scoreless in the second half until the 13:17 mark. The Pioneers' efficient shooting continued as Coffman found freshman forward Rachel Cox for a long ball to extend the lead to 69-39 with 6:15 remaining.

McKenzie showed her versatility adding another three-pointer on the following Pioneer possession. Junior forward Chelsea Pharris and senior center Elizabeth Thomas added buckets on back-to-back possessions following Anderson turnovers, before a three from Jordin Fender made it a 10-0 Transylvania run giving the Pioneers a 79-39 advantage with 3:52 left to play.

Junior guard Ali Moreland added yet another three-pointer with :25 left to widen the lead to 85-41, but Anderson's Shelby Shaffer connected from behind-the-arc as time wound down.

The Pioneers set the tone early in the first half as Transylvania hit three-pointers on five straight possessions. McKenzie and Smith knocked down back-to-back three pointers in the opening minutes to give Transylvania a 12-4 lead, before Coffman, Pharris and Smith, again, widened the lead to 21-12.

Three straight turnovers by the likes of steals from Lindsay Hieronymus and Coffman helped the Pioneers to six straight and a 17-point lead, 29-12. Pharris added another three-pointer with 3:58 remaining giving the Pioneers a 34-16 lead.

Smith finished 4-for-5 from behind-the-arc and 8-for-10 from the floor for a game-high 19 points, along with seven rebounds. Coffman finished with 15 points with four assists and two steals.

The Pioneers host Hanover College Jan. 7 in a rematch of last year's HCAC Championship game.  Transylvania won 110-70 and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament following the win. Wednesday's game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.