Defiance, Ohio – The Transylvania men's basketball team erased a 10-point deficit with eight minutes to go but could not find the finishing blow in a heartbreaking 70-67 defeat to the Defiance College Yellow Jackets on Saturday afternoon at the Karl H. Weaner Center.

Zach Larimore led the Pioneers with 18 points but his go-ahead 3-point shot on the penultimate possession of the game with 54 seconds left fell short, and Defiance nailed a key bucket to beat the shot clock on the following possession to secure a win. Colby Napier's game-tying three-point shot just before the buzzer missed long, and the Jackets secured the rebound to deny Transylvania another signature comeback win.

Defiance snapped Transy's three-game win streak to improve to 8-10 on the season and 6-5 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play while the Pioneers fell to 11-8 overall and 6-6 in conference play.

Larimore set the offensive tone early for the Pioneers with eight points as the teams battled tightly through the first 17 minutes of the game. Defiance's jumpshots began falling with regularity as the home team finished the half on a 9-2 run to clinch a 37-28 halftime lead.

Napier sank a triple to cut the Defiance lead to 39-34 at the 15:55 mark of the game but the Jackets rebuilt their lead to 60-50 with 7:54 left in the second half.

Larimore and Matthew Teague keyed a run for the Pioneers, and Napier splashed in another timely 3-pointer with 5:07 left in the game to slice Defiance's advantage to 62-59. Brandon Cromwell nailed two free throws and Teague tied the game with a runner in the paint with 2:06 to go, forging a 67-67 ballgame.

On the ensuing possession, the Pioneers fouled the Jackets, who split the free throws to retake the lead at 68-67. That lead would hold for Defiance as the Pioneers were unable to score again in the final two minutes of a taut finish.

Napier finished with 13 points on 5 for 8 field goal shooting while Teague added 10 points off the bench. Hunter Penn helped the Pioneers win the rebounding battle, 28 to 21 against Defiance with a game-high 13 rebounds to go with six points, one block, and one steal.

The Pioneers shot 47 percent from the field compared to 51 percent field goal shooting by Defiance. Each team connected on exactly 25 field goals but Defiance held a 6 for 12 advantage from three-point range compared to 4 for 12 by Transy.

Transylvania returns home for its next contest on Wednesday, February 9 against Mount St. Joseph University. Tip-off between the Lions and Pioneers is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. from the Beck Center.

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