LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania’s men’s basketball team spotted Franklin a 14-point lead Saturday, then roared back for a 76-72 win in the men’s Heartland Conference basketball tournament final at the Beck Center, grabbing the HCAC’s automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Championships.
Transylvania’s women’s team outscored Hanover by 16 points in the second half Saturday and went on to claim the Heartland Conference’s automatic bid to the women’s NCAA Division III Championship with a 79-69 victory in the HCAC Championship game, also at the Beck Center.
The men’s basketball team will travel to Centre for first-round NCAA Division III Championship action this weekend while the women’s squad will head to Washington University in St. Louis.
The NCAA Division III Championship pairings for the men’s and women’s tournaments were announced Monday.
Coach Brian Lane’s Pioneers (21-5), HCAC regular-season co-champions, will play Guilford (21-5) Friday in Danville. Coach Greg Todd’s HCAC regular season champion Pioneers (22-5) drew last year’s title-winners, Howard Payne (23-5) on Friday.
On the women’s side, Washington University (21-4) is ranked second in the country and will face Capital (22-5). The winners will play Saturday.
Centre’s men, who lost to Transy in this season’s first game, will meet Averett (20-8). Centre brings a 23-4 mark into tourney play.
More details to follow when they become available. For more information, contact Glenn Osborne, sports information director, at (859) 233-8284 or gosborne@transy.edu.