Lexington, Ky. – The Transylvania men's basketball team used a 15-point turnaround in the final eight and a half minutes of regulation to defeat the Franklin College Grizzlies, 95-88 on Wednesday evening at the Beck Center.

Transylvania ended a 10-game winning streak for the Grizzlies while expanding its own season-high win streak to four games. The Pioneers improved to 7-4 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play as they handed the first-place Grizzlies their second loss of the conference schedule, knocking down the Grizzlies to 9-2 in conference. Transylvania is now 11-7 overall in the 2019-20 season.

Michael Jefferson turned in another stellar effort for the Pioneers, uncorking 26 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, hitting on 12 of 20 field goals. Wednesday's output marked the fifth time in six games that Jefferson has shot 50 percent or better from the floor.

The junior guard scored on five runners inside the pivotal final six minutes of the contest to gain revenge on Franklin, which handed the Pioneers a three-point loss three weeks ago in Franklin in a similar late-game situation.

Gabe Schmitt led all players with 29 points on 10 for 20 shooting from the field, joining Jefferson with a myriad of clutch baskets and free throws in crunch time to lead the Pioneers to the sensational win.

Transylvania and Franklin battled closely in the first half which contained a variety of paces and flow, combined with fiery three-point shooting from the visiting Grizzlies. Franklin would knock down 9 of 14 triples in the first half to build a 36-29 advantage with 4:27 remaining before the break.

The Pioneers fought back with inside scores from Lucas Gentry, who finished the night with 17 points, Brandon Cromwell, Schmitt, and Jefferson to declaw the Grizzlies' lead. A hard-fought bucket by Cromwell finished off a 14-6 run to grab a 43-42 Pioneer lead late in the first half.

Franklin's Kale Morris hit the final of his five first-half 3-pointers to retake the lead at 45-43, but Jefferson punctuated the first half by rebounding his own missed runner with seconds left and poking the loose ball out to Schmitt for a buzzer-beating left-wing threeball, handing the Pioneers a one-point advantage going into the locker room.

Franklin relied on an inside power game to craft easy buckets and create more open looks for three as the second half evolved into a 59-55 Grizzlies lead at the 13:10 mark. The margin expanded for the Grizzlies on two more ensuing triples for a 67-59 advantage with 9:52 to go. Will Sivills answered back with a 3-pointer for the Pioneers to slice the deficit to five, but the Grizzlies immediately countered with another long-range field goal to reach a 70-62 lead with 8:25 remaining.

From that point forward, the Grizzlies would not hit another 3-pointer for the rest of the night, clanking their final five attempts from deep; concurrently, the Pioneers sharpened up their defense while Jefferson and Schmitt went to work on the offensive end.

Schmitt and Gentry immediately scored back-to-back baskets to cut Franklin's lead to three points and spark a 12-2 run. Jefferson scored on a majestic off-hand runner in transition to hand the Pioneers a 74-72 lead. Franklin tied up the game on the ensuing possession before Jefferson scored at will again and Schmitt followed with a three-point basket for a 79-74 Transy lead.

Jefferson and Schmitt combined to score the final 23 points of the night for the Pioneers as the two veterans staved off every Franklin bucket. The two answered a trio of scores from the Grizzlies inside the two-minute mark that drew the visitors to within one point on successive possessions; Schmitt converted a layup with 42 seconds left to put the Pioneers in front at 89-86.

Though the Grizzlies cut the margin down to one point for one final time, Schmitt handed the game to his Pioneers by canning all six of his free throws in the final 28 seconds to carve out the seven-point win for the Pioneers.

Larimore added 10 points off the bench with four rebounds, hitting 2 of 4 three-pointers. Spencer McKinney added six rebounds, three assists, three points, one block, and one steal along with a series of game-changing hustle plays to help the Pioneers absorb momentum.

Transylvania outscored Franklin 16 to 7 on fastbreak points and won the battle of the benches, 13 to 6. The Pioneers committed just six turnovers while hounding the Grizzlies into 14 giveaways. Transylvania had seven steals on the night with Cromwell and Gentry providing two thefts apiece.

Franklin sank 12 of 25 three-pointers for a 48-percent clip while the Pioneers hit five triples in each half at a 50-percent mark.

Having won five of six games, the Pioneers will return to the road to visit the Defiance College Yellow Jackets on Saturday afternoon at the Karl H. Weaner Center on the campus of Defiance. Tip-off for the men's contest is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

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