LEXINGTON - The No. 2 nationally ranked Transylvania Pioneers won their 44th consecutive game and the Gratz Park Private Wealth Holiday Tournament championship this afternoon, defeating the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Bluegolds 71-59 behind five different Pioneer's reaching double figures in the scoring column.
Dasia Thornton led the way with 22 points off 8-17 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds for her second straight double-double and fourth of the season.
As has been a similar theme all season, Transylvania started the game hot. The Pioneers opened the championship with a 10-0 run, their second straight game doing so. After outscoring the Bluegolds in the opening quarter, Eau Claire turned a 12 point second quarter deficit into a 4 point deficit with a 14-7 run to make it a 36-32 Pioneer lead at the half.
The Bluegolds brought the game within 3 points (46-43) with just 2:17 to play in the third quarter, but a
Kennedi Stacy made a layup and a free throw after being fouled to complete the three point play and make it a 6 point Pioneer lead. Eau Claire wouldn't bring the deficit below 6 points the rest of the game as Transylvania ended the quarter up 7 and outscored the Bluegolds 20-15 in the final quarter to secure the victory.
After the win,
Laken Ball was named to the all tournament team. She finished the tournament with 21 points and 12 rebounds and was 5-10 from three point range.
Sadie Wurth was named tournament MVP after finishing with 23 points and 13 assists over the two games.
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Since the 2021-22 season, the Pioneers are 6-0 in the Gratz Park Private Wealth Holiday Tournament.
With the win, Transylvania was the only college basketball team in the NCAA or NAIA, men or women, to finish the 2023 year undefeated. The Pioneers went 31-0 in 2023. The 44 straight wins tie them with Hope College that accomplished the same feat between the 2005 and 2007 seasons.
Transylvania now holds the longest active win streak in the NCAA at 44 games with Ashland University (NCAA DII) losing on December 16th.
The Pioneers begin the new year 11-0 and will look to improve to 12-0 and 5-0 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference this upcoming Wednesday when they take on Earlham College at home. The Pioneers are 13-0 all time against the Quakers.
Stats from the win
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Transylvania 71
| ## |
Player |
GS |
MIN |
FG |
3PT |
FT |
ORB-DRB |
REB |
PF |
A |
TO |
BLK |
STL |
PTS |
| 35 |
Thornton, Dasia |
* |
34 |
8-17 |
2-3 |
4-7 |
2-8 |
10 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
22 |
| 24 |
Stacy, Kennedi |
* |
31 |
5-13 |
2-6 |
3-5 |
1-2 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
15 |
| 15 |
Wurth, Sadie |
* |
32 |
4-10 |
1-6 |
2-2 |
1-2 |
3 |
3 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
11 |
| 23 |
Wright, Sydney |
* |
34 |
4-6 |
0-1 |
2-2 |
1-3 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
10 |
| 32 |
Ball, Laken |
* |
30 |
3-5 |
2-3 |
2-4 |
2-2 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
10 |
| 33 |
Harris, Kennedy |
|
16 |
1-1 |
1-1 |
0-0 |
1-1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
| 12 |
Kemelgor, Sierra |
|
13 |
0-1 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 44 |
Teall, Emilie |
|
6 |
0-1 |
0-1 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| 22 |
Cornelison, Samantha |
|
2 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 04 |
Flinn, Riley |
|
1 |
0-1 |
0-1 |
0-2 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 14 |
Littlejohn, Aubree |
|
1 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| TM |
TEAM |
|
0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-4 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Totals |
- |
200 |
25-55 |
8-22 |
13-22 |
8-22 |
30 |
7 |
16 |
12 |
6 |
11 |
71 |
