Box Score

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Transylvania senior All-American Ethan Spurlin poured in a career-high 30 points Wednesday, fueling the Pioneers to an 87-68 victory over Franklin in men's Heartland Conference basketball action at the Beck Center.
 
The Pioneers (14-4, 9-2 HCAC) have won four straight games and 10 of their last 11, while the Grizzlies are 11-7, 6-5 HCAC, after falling to Transy for the second time this year and the ninth time in a row overall. Transy trailed Rose-Hulman by one game in the conference race heading into Wednesday's action. Rose plays Manchester on Thursday.
 
The first half, which ended with Transy on top 42-33, saw each team score in spurts. The Pioneers opened the game by making its first four shots en route to establishing a 14-2 lead at the 16 minute mark.
 
But Franklin closed the gap to three points, 24-21, on a J.T. Barton layup with 7:43 to go. But the Pioneers had an answer, going up by nine, 34-25, on a Brandon Rash layup with just under three minutes left.
 
Spurlin led the attack, hitting five of six shots for 12 points to go with five boards. Barrett Meyer and Rash each contributed 10 points for the Pioneers, who converted 18 of 29 shots for 62 percent. Franklin was 12 of 24 for 50 percent, led by Gunner Erwin's 12 points.
 
Spurlin finished the game with 30 points, besting his previous high by a point. He was 10 of 13 from the field and 10 of 11 from the free throw line. He also had nine rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block.
 
Meyer finished with 21 points and Rash had 17 points,  three rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Tate Cox netted eight points and handed out three assists.
 
Irwin and Bailey Howard each scored 23 for Franklin, which shot 49 percent from the field but never led in the game. Transy, which shot 57 percent from the field in a win over Anderson on Saturday, connected on 31 of 50 shots for 62 percent against Franklin.
 
Transy outscored Franklin 48-32 in the paint and led by as many as 19 points late in the contest.
 
The Pioneers are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Defiance for a 3 p.m. matchup with the Yellow Jackets.