Matt Welsh
Contributing Writer

LEXINGTON, KY - Transylvania Men's Basketball falls short 75-66 against Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) opponent Franklin College at the Clive M. Beck Center.

Transylvania had three players score in double figures with Drew Marshall being the leading scorer with 23 points. Both Drew Marshall and Hunter Barr had nine rebounds respectively.

Transylvania held a slim 5-2 lead going into the first timeout of the game. For the first 10 minutes of the game, the game remained tight as both teams traded leads. With 10 minutes left until halftime, the Pioneers were losing 14-11.  The Pioneers were still down, with five to go. The Pioneers were down at the break 24-23 to the Grizzlies. Drew Marshall was the leading scorer for the Pioneers in the first half with 11 points while Hunter Barr was the leading rebounder with seven rebounds. The Pioneers shot 29.2 percent from the floor and 20 percent beyond the arc in the first half.

The start of the second half was the same as the first half as neither team could pull away. The Pioneers were losing 33-29 going into the first timeout of the second half. With 10 minutes left in the game, the Pioneers held an 43-42 edge over the Grizzlies. With five minutes to go, the Pioneers found themselves down 60-55. The Grizzlies were starting to pull away with a 64-55 edge at the 2:30 minutes mark of the second half.  The Pioneers tried to make a late comeback, but the Grizzlies defense prevented the comeback. The Pioneers lost 75-66 and are now 7-8 on the season and 4-4 in conference play. The Pioneers shot 32.8 percent from the floor and 20.8 percent beyond the arc.

Key Stats:
-Transylvania outscored Franklin 55-50 in on court points
-Transylvania outscored Franklin 16-14 in second chance points

Transylvania returns home on Saturday, January 17th, 2026, to face Manchester University.  Tip-off is set at 3:00 p.m.

Transylvania University is a proud member of the NCAA Division III and the HCAC. To keep up with all of the Transylvania Athletics, check out our website at transysports.com and follow @TransySports on Instagram.