FRANKLIN, Ind.— A second half pushed helped the 15th ranked Transylvania University women's basketball team overcome a slow first half, picking up another critical Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference win with a 52-44 win over the Franklin College Grizzlies Wednesday night.
After the teams went back-and-forth early in the second half, the Pioneers grabbed the lead for good at the 12:14 mark on a jumper from sophomore Jordin Fender. The Transylvania defense came up with a key stop on the following possession. Senior Nicole Coffman sparked the Transylvania offense with a three-pointer to put the visiting Pioneers up 29-24.
The Grizzlies would bring the score to 32-28 after Sarah Taylor made two free throws with 8:53 left in the game. Transy would respond by going on an 8-3 run, started by a layup from Fender and capped by junior Katelyn Smith's layup at the 7:02 mark. The nine point, 40-31 lead, would be the Pioneers' largest of the game.
Franklin would bring the score to as close as four points inside the closing minutes of the game, the Transylvania was able to ward off any late run from the Grizzlies and hold onto the victory.
Coming into the game, the two teams were ranked no. 1 and no. 2 in the HCAC standings, with the Pioneers holding a slim two-game margin. The win would prove pivotal in advancing the Pioneers' hopes of winning the conference title.
In the first half, both offenses struggled to find fluidity and at the 8:14 mark in the opening period, Transy found itself down 9-7. On the next Pioneer possession, Smith would sink a jumper to pull the score even at nine, but Transylvania would fall behind again after Franklin's Kayle Comer hit a three-point shot to put the Grizzlies up three with six minutes left in the half.
The Pioneers would battle back and bring the deficit to just one, at 14-13, at the 3:58 mark after freshman Sarah Ashley made two free throws. However, they were unable to regain the lead and went to the locker room down 16-15.
Fender paced Transylvania with 17 points, followed closely by Smith with 14. Transy continued its stretch of outrebounding opponents, snatching 43 boards, 17 offensive, to Franklin's 49, while also forcing 15 Grizzly turnovers. Seniors Alex McKenzie and Kayla Dobson each recorded nine rebounds for the Pioneers.
The win moves Transylvania to 14-1 on the season and 8-0 in HCAC play heading into their next game, a home game Saturday, Jan. 24 against Rose-Hulman (9-7, 5-4 HCAC).