Box Score

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Transylvania freshman guard Nicole Coffman pitched in a career-high 26 points Saturday, leading the Pioneers over Rose-Hulman 65-48 in Heartland Conference women's basketball play.

The Pioneers improve 6-9 and evened their HCAC mark at 4-4. The Engineers are 5-10, 3-5 HCAC.

Transy led the game from the opening tip and built a margin of as many as 18 points in the late going. Coffman, whose previous best was 20 points, had 19 of her 26 points in the second half. She hit 11 of 20 shots and all three of her free throws. She also had four rebounds and one asist.

Jariana Gillespie came off the bench for the first time this year and scored 10 points, a total matched by Alex McKenzie. Kayla Dobson had six points and seven rebounds and Charli Fant contribued five points, two rebounds, and one assist.

Despite shooting 32 percent in the first half, Transy took a 27-17 edge into the locker room at intermission behind eight points off the bench from Gillespie. Gillespie hit three of four from the field. Coffman pitched in seven points and McKenzie (two for four) had six points and four rebounds. The Pioneers were 10 of 11 from the free throw line compared to five of six for the Engineers.

The Pioneers built their edge by holding the visitors to just 25 percent shooting (six of 24) over the first 20 minutes. Keyed by Gillespie, Transy's bench outscored Rose-Hulman's by a 10-2 margin. Kelsey Ploof led the Engineers with six points and six boards.

Transy finished the game shooting at a 42 percent clip after sinking 16 of 32 in the second half. They were 15 of 17 from the free throw line but just two of 17 from long range. Rose-Hulman, which was led by Sheree Williams' 14 points, shot 37.8 percent for the game and were outrebounded 38-23.

Leading scorer Alisa Dickerson, who came into the contest averaging 18 points a game, was held to just 10 on two of nine shooting by a tight Pioneer defense.

Transy outscored Rose-Hulman 36-22 in the paint and the Pioneer reserves had a 17-6 edge as the Engineers only suited up seven players.

Transy is back in action on Wednesday, when it hosts Mt. St. Joseph at 7:30 p.m. at the Beck Center.