Adrian, Mich. – The Transylvania women's basketball team won its third consecutive game against a Division III opponent on Saturday afternoon, collecting a 62-41 win over the Adrian College Bulldogs at the Merillat Center.
Using an all-around performance on both sides of the floor, the Pioneers trounced the Bulldogs for the second time in the 2020-21 season to move to 3-3 overall with the 2021 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference schedule on the horizon.
Madison Kellione hit all six of her second half free throws to lead the Pioneers with 14 points as four different players reached double figures in a defensively-oriented game that went the way of the visitors.
Just over a month removed from holding the Bulldogs to a 26-point output in their last meeting in Lexington, the Pioneers continued to make Adrian toil for points as the Bulldogs' 41-point day was the second-lowest single-game output by a Transy opponent this season.
The Pioneers limited the Bulldogs to single-digit scoring in both the second and fourth quarters on Saturday to seal their first road win of the season.
In a turnover-laden first quarter, Zenoviah Walker provided an early scoring punch for the Pioneers as Transy carried a 13-11 lead to the quarter break. Kellione connected on a pair of treys in the quarter to put the Pioneers ahead for good.
The Pioneer defense accelerated its reaction rate as the first half continued, plaguing Adrian into 25 turnovers on the afternoon. Adrian endured a scoring drought of nearly six minutes to start the second while the Pioneers embarked on a quarter-opening 11-0 run behind two 3-balls from Elizabeth Hardiman and steady scoring from Kellione and Walker.
Adrian made just two 3-pointers in the first half while the Pioneers hit six field goals from downtown in the opening half to grow their halftime lead to 31-16.
The Bulldogs opened up the second half aggressively on the offensive end but Kellione attacked the rim, leading to a pair of free throws. Walker then scored on a backcourt steal to recreate distance between Transy and the opponent.
Adrian sliced the lead to 40-28 with three minutes left in the third quarter but Dasia Thornton scored inside to continue her active day, stretching the lead back to 14 for Transy. Thornton followed in Kellione's tracks with 13 points.
With Adrian continuing to gnaw at the Pioneers, Laken Ball drained a left-wing 3-pointer to extend Transylvania's lead to 15 again to close out the third quarter.
Adrian made a mini-run to begin the fourth quarter as Transy saw its advantage cut down to 10 points in the opening minute of the fourth quarter. Ball reclaimed the Pioneer momentum with an inside score and Gracie Haywood found Thornton for another close-range bucket to grow Transylvania's lead to 51-37 with 8:07 left in regulation.
Adrian carved the Pioneer lead down to 10 one more time before Ball sank a clutch 3-pointer at the 5:55 mark of the fourth quarter for a 54-41 Transy outlook. Kellione added on more points at the foul line and Kennedy Harris sank a dagger triple with two and a half minutes to go to seal up the win for the Pioneers.
Walker finished the game with 12 points, a team-high five assists, and three rebounds while Ball scored all 10 of her points in the second half and tallied six rebounds. Hardiman led the way on the boards with seven rebounds.
The Pioneers registered 20 steals as a team with Walker accruing a team-high six and Ball gathering four. Transylvania's defense gave way to 27 points off turnovers.
Transylvania is next scheduled to tip-off play against Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opponents with a home game versus the Anderson University Ravens at the Beck Center on Thursday, January 14 at 6:15 p.m. Fan access is restricted due to COVID-19 protocols but the game will be streamed live via the Transy Sports Network.
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