LEXINGTON - The No. 2 ranked Transylvania Pioneers rolled through Franklin 88-47 for their 24th win of the season and their 57th consecutive win. The Pioneers finish the 2023-24 regular season unbeaten at home, finishing 13-0 while winning the Heartland Collegiate Conference outright for the third season in a row. 

The Pioneers extended the NCAA's longest active win streak to 57 games, and are now one win away from tying DePauw University's record of 58 straight wins. The Pioneers still hold the 7th longest win streak in NCAA DIII women's basketball history, the 11th longest win streak in NCAA history for all divisions for women's basketball, and are tied for 14th longest in college basketball history.

Longest D3 winning streaks for women's basketball

1 - Washington University of St. Louis - 81
2 - Amherst - 68
3 - Thomas More - 61
3 - Hope - 61
5 - Capital - 60 
6 - DePauw - 58
7 - Transy - 57

All divisions for women's basketball

1 - UConn - 111
2 - UConn - 90
3 - Washington University of St. Louis - 81
4 - Ashland - 73
5 - UConn - 70
6 - Amherst - 68
7 - Thomas More - 61
7 - Hope - 61
9 - Capital - 60
10 - DePauw - 58
11 - Transy - 57

All divisions for men and women

1 - UConn - 101
2 - UConn - 90
3 - UCLA Men's - 81
4 - Washington University of St. Louis - 81
5 - Ashland - 73
6 - UConn - 70
7 - Amherst - 68
8 - Thomas More - 61
8 - Hope - 61
10 - San Francisco Men's - 60 
10 - SUNY Potsham Men's - 60
12 - Capital - 60
13 - DePauw - 58
14 - Winona State Men's - 57
14 - Transy - 57

Before the game, Transy honored 5th year Laken Ball for scoring 1,000 career points and grabbing 500 career rebounds. She joins teammates Kennedi Stacy and Dasia Thornton as active members on the 1,000 point, 500 rebound club.

After giving up the led midway through the first quarter (12-13), Transy scored 8 unanswered points to finish the quarter and didn't let go of the lead the rest of the game. The Pioneer offense scored 19 points in the second half to go into the half with a 40-27 lead. It's the fourth game in a row Transy has scored 40 or more points before the second half.

Transy opened the second half on a 10-0 scoring run, led by Sadie Wurth who scored 6 of those points from three point range. She finished the game with 14 points and 6 assists. 

The Pioneers were too much to handle in the final quarter as they found success on both sides of the court. The defense held Franklin to just 4 points in the final 10 minutes while adding 28 points to win the game by 41 points, 88-47. 

"Our recent offensive focus has included playing up-tempo and being able to score at the rim." Head Coach Juli Fulks said after the win. "I thought today was a good step forward, especially in the second half when we were able to find an advantage in the paint." The Pioneers scored 44 of their 88 points in the paint. 

Transy extends their win streak against Franklin to 15 games with the win.
 

Dasia Thornton, Sydney Wright, Laken Ball, Sadie Wurth, and Kennedi Stacy all scored double-figures, the first time this season all five have done so in the same game.  Stacy led all scorers with 20. Thornton earned her 9th double-double of the season (18 points, 14 rebounds). 

Head Coach Juli Fulks earned her 393rd career win. 

Up next: Transy wraps up regular season play at Earlham this Friday at 7 PM.

Stats from the win