‘Finding a way to win.’ Undefeated Transylvania women go cold in NCAA opener, roll anyway.
The Transylvania University women’s basketball team is officially unstoppable.
On a wild weather day around Kentucky, when schools were closed, the governor issued a state of emergency and hurricane-force winds blew through the Bluegrass, the Pioneers played on and, as they almost always do, won easily.
To be clear, the NCAA Division III Tournament first-round games at Transy’s Clive M. Beck Center in Lexington did not tip off until Friday evening after the greatest severe weather threats had moved beyond Central Kentucky.
However, an unbending Pioneers team that has stood all season like a mighty oak, appears unwilling to yield to the high pressure of postseason play or the low pressure of meteorological mayhem.
Kennedi Stacy scored 20 points, Madison Kellione added 15, and Dasia Thornton posted 11 points and 16 rebounds as Transylvania, the nation’s second-ranked team, defeated Rhodes College of Memphis 58-45 in Friday night’s second game at the Beck Center.
The Pioneers improved to 28-0 on the season and have now won 55 of their last 56 games. Transylvania has not lost since last season’s NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.
Eighteenth-ranked Millikin University of Decatur, Ill., defeated Emory University of Atlanta 76-70 in Friday’s other NCAA first-round game in Lexington.
Transylvania and Millikin (24-4) were to square off in the second round in Lexington on Saturday at 7:45 p.m. The winner advances to next week’s NCAA round of 16, which the Pioneers could conceivably host.
The Pioneers led Friday night’s game wire-to-wire despite having a hard time knocking down shots. Stacy’s jumper put Transylvania out front 2-0 just 26 seconds into the game. By quarter’s end, Transy had expanded its lead to 15-7. The Pioneers pushed ahead as far as 27-12 before settling for a 29-20 halftime edge. Rhodes (17-12) never seriously threatened in the second half, drawing as close as seven points and falling behind by as many as 15.
Stacy, a senior from Magoffin County, made Transylvania’s only two three-point shots on the night from 21 team attempts.
On a night the Pioneers struggled to put the ball in the basket (20-for-59 overall for 33.9 percent), their defense made things even tougher on Rhodes. The Lynx shot 13-for-55 (23.6 percent) and committed 16 turnovers.
“Our defense held us tonight, which had been the goal all year long,” Transylvania Coach Juli Fulks said. “Every team is going to have nights where they struggle to shoot the ball and it’s important in the tournament to have a strong defense and rebounding to prop you up. I was proud of our continued efforts all night and finding a way to win.”
This story was originally published March 3, 2023 at 11:33 PM.