Pioneers’ Late Rally Falls Short as Rose Hulman takes sole possession of 1st place 

Pios fought hard but came up just short in a thrilling 82-79 loss to the RHIT.

Transylvania (5-2 HCAC) was led by standout performances from Hunter Penn & Colby Napier. Penn dominated inside w/ 24 points on an efficient 9-for-13 shooting, adding five rebs, while Napier displayed for 🔥hitting 5-of-8 from beyond the arc en route to a 19-point outing.

The game began as a battle in the paint, with both teams trading early buckets near the rim. Transylvania used a 9-3 run to take an early 8-point lead, but Rose-Hulman responded with a 19-4 surge, closing the 1st half on a high note to lead 41-33 at the break.

The Pios came out aggressive  in the second half, repeatedly attacking the rim and drawing contact. Their toughness  paid off, as they shot 27 free throws compared to Rose-Hulman’s 19, converting 25 of them. A 10-0 run midway through the half propelled Transylvania to their first lead since the opening period, with Drew Marshall and Ian Reesor stepping up at the line and in transition.

Transylvania’s depth was on full display, with contributions from Marshall (10 points, 4-of-5 from the line) and Zach Stahlman (6 points, 4 rebounds). Brandon Rowe anchored the defense with six rebounds and three crucial free throws in the second half.

Transy travels to Pratherland, IN next week for a crucial @HCACDIII road game vs Franklin College. @d3datacast