Lexington, Ky. – Dasia Thornton led a third-quarter burst with a personal 6-0 run to elevate the Transylvania women's basketball team to a 66-44 win over the Mount St. Joseph University Lions on Thursday evening at the Beck Center.
The Pioneers won their third consecutive game to open up Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play to improve to 6-3 overall on the 2020-21 season. Thursday's win was the sixth straight against Division III opponents for the Pioneers.
The Lions lost their opening game of the season to drop to 0-1 overall.
Thornton took over for the Pioneers in the third quarter to quell the Lions' most significant run of the night, scoring six straight points as part of 10-0 Pioneer scoring tear for a career-high 16 points.
Transylvania controlled the game from the first quarter onward, only trailing in the opening minute of the contest before Grace Shope hit a long bomb to give the Pioneers their first lead of the game and for the rest of the evening at 3-2.
The Lions remained tight with the Pioneers until the 2:51 mark of the first quarter when Zenoviah Walker drained a three-pointer to spark a 10-1 run to finish the quarter and give the Pioneers a 19-8 advantage.
Both teams shot cold in the second quarter as the Lions went 4 for 18 from the field and the Pioneers hit 4 of 19 field goal attempts. Transylvania was able to expand its lead at the half to 15 with help from a 5 for 6 showing from the free-throw line and held Mount St. Joseph to 1 for 10 shooting from three-point range in the first half.
The Lions threatened to turn the tables in the third quarter as the Pioneers endured a half-opening scoring drought of over six minutes while Mount St. Joseph scored 13 points during that juncture.
Thornton brought an end to the run by catching a backdoor pass and scoring inside to grow Transy's lead to 37-33 with 3:44 remaining in the third quarter. On the next possession, Thornton established her presence inside again with a strong finish. The pattern continued as Thornton converted a layup with 2:23 remaining in the period to give the Pioneers an eight-point cushion. Madison Kellione finished the 10-0 run with a three-point basket and split a pair of free throws on the way to an 11-point evening.
The Pioneers finished the win by bookending a pair of defensively dominant quarters, holding the Lions to nine points in the final frame while doubling Mount St. Joseph with 18 points. After going scoreless for over six minutes to begin the second half, the Pioneers scored 31 points in the final 13:44 of the contest.
Kellione led the Pioneers in rebounding with eight caroms while Transylvania cleaned the glass to a 61-34 advantage. Transylvania also assisted on 15 of 21 made field goals.
Transylvania and Mount St. Joseph will rematch on Saturday, January 23 at the home of the Lions in Cincinnati, Ohio. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from the Harrington Center.
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