Transylvania men, women clinch conference championships in same afternoon
The Transylvania University men’s and women’s basketball teams both secured regular-season conference championships on Saturday and now head toward the postseason on positive vibes.
The Transylvania men turned back Bluffton 73-64 at the Beck Center in Lexington to complete the regular season 17-8 overall and 13-5 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Pioneers will share the regular-season crown with Franklin College, which beat Defiance, 87-75, on Saturday to keep things knotted atop the standings.
Transylvania earned a bye to the semifinals of the HCAC Tournament, and will host a postseason game Friday against an opponent to be determined. The league tourney winner claims the HCAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
The Transylvania women locked up their tie for the HCAC regular-season crown by defeating Bluffton 70-56 at the Beck Center on Saturday. The Pioneers are 23-2 overall and 17-1 in the league and claimed the regular-season title for the second straight year under head coach Juli Fulks. Hanover also finished 17-1 in the Heartland after turning back Rose-Hulman, 71-52, on Saturday. Both teams earned byes to the semifinals of the conference tournament and will host. Transy is the defending champ.
Four players scored in double figures to position the Transy women for victory Saturday: Shelby Boyle had 20, Ashton Woodard 17, Grace Shope 12 and Kennedi Stacy 10. Boyle, a senior guard from Morgantown, W.Va., also contributed nine rebounds, seven assists and two blocks.
The Transylvania men won the HCAC regular-season title for the first time since 2012. The Pioneers finished sixth in 2015-16, fifth in 2016-17, fourth in 2017-18 and second last season before getting back to the top for head coach Brian Lane, who won his 300th career game this season.
Gabe Schmitt and Michael Jefferson led the Pioneers on Saturday with 22 and 20 points, respectively. Zach Larimore added 11. Transylvania finished 12-of-28 from three-point range and 17-of-20 from the foul line.