LEXINGTON, Ky.—A game that looked like a blowout early turned into a much closer contest in the second half as the Transylvania Pioneers held on for a 74-59 victory over the Franklin College Grizzlies and remained undefeated in Heartland Conference play on Wednesday night at the Clive M. Beck Center. With the victory and a Hanover loss, the Pioneers clinched the regular season HCAC championship and will host the conference tournament.

Transylvania opened the game on a 30-3 run that consumed more than 16 minutes of the first half, but Franklin managed to cut the lead to nine before back-to-back baskets by junior Katelyn Smith stretched the lead back to 13 at 67-54 with just over two minutes remaining in the game. Four free throws by Shawn Kolani in the final 30 seconds sealed the victory for the Pioneers 74-59.

In the first half it looked as if the Pioneers would cruise to their 21st victory. The Transylvania defense forced 11 first half turnovers, including four turnovers in the first five possessions. Elizabeth Thomas dominated the paint, recording four blocked shots. Nicole Coffman recorded four steals in the half, and the Grizzlies managed just five field goals, shooting just 19 percent (5-of-27) in the half. The Pioneers led 40-13 at the break.

In the half, Transylvania was led by Coffman's nine points, five rebounds and four steals. Katelyn Smith added four points, and Thomas blocked four shots and pulled down three rebounds in just eight minutes. In all, 11 Pioneers scored in the half, but the second half was almost a different story.

In the second half, Franklin's shooting improved, as the Grizzlies shot 54 percent (20-of-37) in the half and managed to pull within nine points. However, Smith and Kolani carried the Pioneers down the stretch as Smith scored two buckets late and Kolani drained four straight from the charity stripe to give Transylvania the 74-59 win.

For the game, the Pioneers were led by Smith's 17 points, 12 of which came in the second half. Coffman finished with 13 points and six rebounds, and Kolani tallied nine points for the Pioneers.

The Pioneers (21-1, 15-0 HCAC) close out the regular season at the Clive M. Beck Center on February 21 vs. Bluffton at 2 p.m.