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For the second year in a row, the Transylvania Pioneers will take the short trip down Broadway in Lexington to take on the Kentucky Wildcats in what has been a two-year renewal of an ancient series.
Quick facts about Transylvania University:
| Transylvania Pioneers | |
| Record | 0-0, 0-0 in Heartland Conference (DIII) |
| Rankings | 16th In DIII pre-season |
| Last Game | -- |
| Head Coach | Brian Lane |
| Overall Record | 191-104 (.647) |
| at Transylvania | Same |
| vs. Kentucky | 0-1 |
| Last yea'rs overall record | 23-5 |
| Last Year's conf. Record | 16-2 |
| Last Five Games | -- |
| Last Meeting | (Exh) UK, 97-53 (11/2/11) |
| Head Coach | Brian Lane |
| Overall College Record | 191-104 (12th year) |
| Record at Transylvania | 191-104 (12th year) |
| Assistant Coaches | Nate Valentine, Matthew Martin |
| Returning Lettermen | 10 |
| Returning Starters | 4 |
| 2011-12 Record | 23-5; 16-2 HCAC (1st) |
| Address | 300 North Broadway, |
| Lexington, KY 40508-1797 | |
| President | R. Owen Williams |
| Enrollment | 1,100 |
| Founded | 1780 |
| Nickname | Pioneers |
| Colors | Crimson and White |
| Arena | Clive M. Beck Center |
The Pioneers actually have a victory over Kentucky to their credit, won back in 1911, 23-18 in the Buell Armory Gymnasium. In fact, Transy and what was the State University of Kentucky met 2 more times that year, with UK going 2-1. It would be 100 years until their next meeting last season.
Transylvania is a talented team, and loses only senior guard Chris Owens from their starting rotation last year. Overall, 10 players return from last year's squad, which should be, if anything, improved from the team the Wildcats faced in 2011.
Transylvania is a deadly 3-point shooting team, with 3 returning players shooting 39% or better from the arc, and in the case of Barrett Meyer, significantly better at almost 44%. Meyer made 60 3-pointers last year in 138 attempts. The leading scorer, though is Ethan Spurln, a forward (at 6'4") who gets most of his points inside the arc.
Transylvania is still a small team that lacks athleticism and length, but they will bury open shots, and you can count on them to try to work the basketball until they get one. Last year's halftime score against the Pioneers was 37-23 UK, an eventual national champion against a team that was not as good as it will be this year.
This team will tax Kentucky's perimeter shooting defense, and we're going to find out if the Wildcats have improved in any of these areas since the last exhibition game against Northwood. Transylvania will be a very disciplined team, but they don't really play a slow-down game, so Kentucky will get the opportunity to run, especially off defensive rebounds.
This game will give us some kind of general idea of where this team is compared to last year's, since they are essentially facing an opponent we can directly compare. It should be fun.