Lexington, Ky. – The Transylvania men's basketball team used a sweltering and balanced offensive performance to notch its first win of the 2020-21 season on Saturday afternoon in a 93-82 triumph over the Anderson University Ravens at the Beck Center.
Zach Larimore led a quartet of double-digit scorers for Transy with 19 points and nine rebounds, adding three assists and two steals in 35 minutes of work.
Dominique Turner scored a career-high 18 points in a hardworking performance, matching Larimore with nine rebounds and adding a block in 28 minutes; the senior shot 7 for 9 from the field and nailed his lone three-point attempt of the afternoon.
Lucas Gentry had an efficient showing with 18 points and seven rebounds, shooting 7 for 11 from the floor and hitting on 2 of 4 attempts from downtown.
Playing their second Division III opponent of the season and rematching Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference foe Anderson for the second time in three days, the Pioneers used a first-half offensive burst to forge an early double-digit lead that they would rely upon all afternoon.
In their first game at the Beck Center in an unorthodox season, the Pioneers acclimated comfortably to their home settings with a 9-2 advantage in the first three minutes of gameplay. Anderson quickly asserted itself with a 7-0 run to tie the game at 9-all with 15:52 left in the half but the Pioneers took back the momentum with jumpers from Will Sivills and Jack Patton for a 14-9 advantage.
Aiden Pashley caught fire from the left corner with consecutive three-pointers as the Pioneers surged ahead 20-11. Turner and Gentry joined in on the long-range barrage to put the Pioneers up by a 28-16 tally at the 8:32 mark of the first half.
Transylvania attacked the rim with reckless abandon the rest of the half as Turner converted on a three-point play with seven minutes remaining for a 34-18 Transy lead. Larimore began to find his offense from the midrange as his jumper with 4:08 to go in the half solidified a 23-point Transy lead, its largest of the afternoon.
Anderson carved Transy's lead back down to 15 but Jack Patton kissed a jumper off the glass as time expired to give the Pioneers a 49-32 halftime lead.
The Pioneers held Anderson to 3 for 12 shooting from downtown while hitting 6 of 13 from three-point land in the first half. Transylvania connected on 11 of 16 free throws in the opening half to help its cause.
Anderson found its three-point shot to open the second half, cutting Transylvania's lead to 58-48 at the 14:39 mark. Gentry held the line for the Pioneers with back-to-back scores to grow the Pioneer advantage back up to 15 points.
The Pioneers went on an impactful 7-2 run midway through the half as Pashley scored on a highlight-reel scoop and Larimore added an inside score. Duce Ralls drained a three-pointer for the Pioneers to go back up by 18.
The Ravens toiled in cutting the deficit back to eight points with 4:08 left in regulation but Turner took over down the stretch with consecutive baskets as he overpowered Anderson's front line. Free throws from Will Sivills and field goals from Gentry and Larimore inside two minutes to go put the game on ice with a wintry mix falling outside the Beck Center.
The Pioneers intensified their accuracy in the second half, shooting 59 percent from the field and 57 percent from three-point range. Transylvania hit 10 of 20 three-pointers on the day and received 22 points off the bench.
Transylvania turns its attention next to Mount St. Joseph University for a two-game series next week. The Pioneers visit the Lions in Cincinnati, Ohio on Thursday, January 21 for a 7:30 tip-off at the Harrington Center before the teams rematch at the Beck Center on Saturday, January 23 at 1:00 p.m.
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