Box Score

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Transylvania never trailed Tuesday while taking a 61-44 win over Hendrix  in first-round play in the Don Lane Invitational presented by FHTM in the Beck Center.

The Pioneers are 8-0 and off to the program's best start since the 1990-91 team opened its season 10-0. Hendrix, members of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, is 2-6.

The win was also No. 176 for head coach Brian Lane, in his 11th season. That matches former coach C.M. Newton for second-place on the all-time men's list, trailing only Don Lane's 509 total.

The Pioneers meet No. 14 Wabash (9-0), a 63-61 winner over Baldwin-Wallace in the first game Wednesday, in the Invitational championship game at 7 p.m. Baldwin-Wallace (6-3) will tangle with Hendrix in the consolation game, beginning at 5 p.m.

Transy raced to a 16-point first half lead and took a 29-17 edge into the lockerroom. Ethan Spurlin scored 10 points in the period and Brandon Rash added eight. The Pioneers benefitted from some poor Hendrix shooting as the Warriors converted just five of 23 (21.7 percent), including three of 11 from long range.

Transy hit 12 of 23 for 52 percent despite misfiring on all six of its three-point tries. Transy had a 17-14 edge on the boards and outscored the Warriors 18-4 in the pain. Ammon Martin Led Hendrix in the half with eight points and four boards.

Transy's lead was never less than 10 in the second half and increased to as many as 25, 52-27, with 7:19 to play on a trey by Taylor Botkin.

Fifteen different Pioneers saw action and 11 hit the scoring column, led by Rash's 17 points and Spurlin's 12. Chris Owens added seven points. Colton Primm matched Martin's 14 points to head Hendrix.

For the third straight game, Owens was perfect from the field. He was three for three on his field goal attempts and one for one from the line. He also had five rebounds to tie Barrett Meyer, one behind team leader Spurlin.

Transy finished the game shooting 47.8 percent from the field and committed only 10 turnovers. Hendrix shot 47 percent in the second half, but 34 percent overall. The points in the paint advantage for the Pioneers finished at 30-12.

Following a Christmas break, the Pioneers head to Las Vegas to play La Verne and Gustavus Adolphus in the D3hoops.com Classic.