Box Score

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Barrett Meyer poured in a season-high 29 points Wednesday and Transylvania upended a nationally ranked team for the second day in a row, cruising past No. 8 Franklin & Marshall 86-73 on the final day of the Don Lane Classic at the Beck Center.
 
A day after topping No. 13 Wooster 68-62, the Pioneers improved to 7-3 on the year while handing the Diplomats their first loss in nine outings.
 
With the win, Transy head coach Brian Lane upped his career total with his alma mater to 198 in 12 seasons. Meyer was named MVP of the Classic and he was joined on the All-Tournament team by Brandon Rash, who scored 13 points in the game.
 
Although Franklin & Marshall crept within two points, 48-46, with 14:32 to play, Transy never trailed other than when the visitors scored the first basket of the game. With Meyer throwing in 10 of 14 shots, including five of nine from three-point range, the advantage would grow to as many as 17 in the late going.
 
Meyer had plenty of support. Ethan Spurlin was nine of 16 from the floor, mostly operating in the paint, for 22 points to go with six rebounds and three assists. He also had four steals. Freshman Parker Stansberry was five of eight from the field and four of seven from downtown for 16 points. Rash added 13 points, four rebounds, and five assists.
 
Overall, Transy was 30 of 51 from the field (59 percent), including 10 of 20 threes. Franklin & Marshall countered with 63 percent shooting from the field on 27 of 43, but connected on only six of 14 three-pointers. Transy also had a 16-13 edge at the free throw line.
 
Transy led by only four, 58-54, at the 10:02 mark, but went on a 11-3 rally to establish a 12-point cushion at 69-57 with 7:09 left. Rash had a traditional three-point play during the spurt and Meyer added a long three off an assist by Tate Cox. Stansberry capped the run with a steal and layup.
 
Transy's biggest lead was 17, 86-69, with 39 seconds to play.
 
Ed Early came off the bench to score 23 points to lead the Diplomats while Morgan Lee added 18.

Meyer scored 17 points, hitting six of seven shots from the field and four of five from long range, to help the Pioneers to a 41-37 lead at the half. After the Diplomats scored the first basket of the game, Transy would lead by as many as eight, 23-15, at the 8:04 mark.
 
Stansberry added nine points in the half and Spurlin contributed eight as the Pioneers shot 50 percent overall (15 of 30) and 53 percent from long range (eight of 15).
 
Early led Franklin & Marshall with 10 first-half points. The visitors were 14 of 21 (67 percent) from the floor but made just two of six triples.
 
Rash increased his career scoring mark to 1,133 points, which ranks 32nd on the all-time list, while Meyer is at 1,058, which is 38th.

Transy will play one more game before 2012 comes to an end. Thomas More will visit the Beck Center on Saturday for a 1 p.m. matchup. The Saints bring an 8-1 record into the contest.