The second-seeded Pioneers took command with a 30-21 lead at the intermission, out-shooting the Grizzlies 54 to 40 percent in the process in neutral-court match-up at Hanover College’s Collier Arena.
But Franklin turned the tables in the second half, shooting a sizzling 73 percent to end Transylvania’s hex and advance to Saturday’s championship game of the HCAC tourney with a stunning 73-76 come-from-behind victory.
The third-seeded Grizzlies (18-9) will take on No. 1 seed and 14th-ranked host Hanover (22-5) at 7:30 p.m. with the conference’s automatic bid to next week’s NCAA Division III playoffs at stake. Hanover, the three-time defending tournament champion, defeated Bluffton University 77-67 in the second semifinal.
FC was led by senior guard Nick Scott, who scored 19 of his game-high 30 points after the intermission. Scott hit 11 of 15 field goal attempts in his career-best scoring effort. He was backed by junior Nick Kane, who tallied 19 points, and senior Jared Sabelhaus, who added 13. The Pioneers were led by Joey Searle and Matt Finke with 20 and 19 points, respectively.
The championship game is a rematch of last year’s HCAC tournament title contest, which Hanover 61-48 on its home floor. The Grizzlies are shooting for their first automatic bid to the NCAA tourney since 2002 when they topped Defiance College in Hanover’s gym.