Box Score

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Transylvania freshmen Nicole Coffman and Alex McKenzie combined for 40 points Saturday and the Pioneers held off a late Manchester rally to take a 62-56 decision in a Heartland Conference women's basketball matchup at the Beck Center.

The Pioneers are 12-11, 10-6 in HCAC play, while the Spartans slip to 15-8, 11-5 HCAC. Transy came into the contest trailing third-place Manchester, but with the win, closed the gap to one game with two to play. The top six teams qualify for the HCAC tournament later this month and the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds host quarterfinal round games.

Manchester owned a61-48 home win over the Pioneers earlier this season.

McKenzie had 11 points and five rebounds in the first half which ended with the Pioneers on top by 10, 33-23. Transy held the Spartans to 35.5 percent shooting in the opening period while making 45.8 percent (11 of 24) and forging a 12-point lead, 14-2, at the 12:35 mark. Transy never trailed in the period.

Coffman added nine first-half points while Laine Mello topped the visitors with six. Transy outscored Manchester 9-0 from the free throw line in the period.

McKenzie finished with a double double, getting 19 points and 10 boards, while Coffman had 21 points, three rebounds, and three steals. 

Transy appeared to be firmly in control in the second half, advancing its lead to 13, 41-28, at the 15:56 mark, and again at 46-33 with 12:30 to play. Transy still led by 10, 50-40, on two Coffman free throws with 6:54 left.

But Manchester whittled away, closing to a single bucket, 58-56, when Mello coaxed home a three with 13 seconds to go, capping a 16-8 run. But Coffman and McKenzie each converted two free throws down the stretch to seal the win.

Jariana Gillespie, who had a career-high 21 points in Wednesday's loss to Mt. St. Joseph, contributed 11 points, including a big layup with 1:15 to play that made the score 56-48. She was also perfect in four free throw attempts.

Transy finished the game shooting 41 percent from the field (19 of 46) while Manchester was at 38 percent. The home team made 21 of 24 free throws, including a 10 of 10 effort by Coffman, while the Spartmans made six of 10. Transy had a 20-6 edge in scoring in the paint, but the Pioneeers' bench was outscored 28-7.

It was the second time this season that Coffman managed to hit 10 of 10 free throws.

Mello was the only Spartan in double figures with 15 points and Jaimie Childress added nine.

Transy is back in action on Wednesday when it hosts HCAC co-leader Hanover at 7:30 p.m. in the Beck Center. The Pioneers finish regular season action next Saturday at Bluffton.