Transy Set to Battle No. 2 Kentucky in Men's Basketball Exhibition
Release courtesy of Transylvania University
LEXINGTON, KY - After a lapse of over 100 years, the time has finally come for Transylvania's men's basketball team to take on Kentucky once again.
The two teams will collide Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Rupp Arena, seeking to break a 7-7 series tie. Naturally, the No. 2 ranked Wildcats are slight favorites over the NCAA Division III Pioneers.
"We just want to play hard and help get them ready for their season," said Transy head coach Brian Lane. "We appreciate the opportunity they've given us. Our guys are excited to get a taste of big-time, Division I basketball. All this hoopla is normal for them. It's exciting and a lot of fun for us."
Certainly, regardless of the outcome of the contest, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Transy, which was recently picked to win the 2011-12 Heartland Conference men's basketball championship in a vote of league coaches. The Pioneers were 18-9 last year and they are looking for their first NCAA Division III Championship berth since the 2008-09 campaign.
The Wildcats of coach John Calipari are coming off a Final Four appearance last year, posting a 29-9 record, and rank only behind North Carolina in preseason polls this year. They are led by senior Dairus Miller and returning sophomores Doron Lamb and Terrence Jones, a preseason All-Southeastern Conference pick. Kentucky also boasts the top freshman class in the nation, led by 6-10 forward Anthony Davis.
Transy has two seniors in forwards Chris Owens and Michael Stone, but the bulk of its talent and experience is contained in a nine-man junior class, led by All-HCAC performer Brandon Rash.
All nine of the Pioneers' top scorers return from a year ago, including double-figure scorers Rash, Barrett Meyer, Ethan Spurlin, and Ashley Hatfield. Another key contributer will be sophomore point guard Tate Cox, who was limited to 14 games last year by injury, but should be the squad's best playmaker.
Transy also has a solid freshman class, led by 6-5 forward Gavin Dunagan, who scored over 2,800 points and grabbed over 1,500 rebounds at Wayne County High School, where he is the the career leader in both categories, breaking records that had stood since 1957.
Transy does have a handful of players who have seen action in Rupp Arena during their high school years, including Hatfield, who participated in four KHSAA Sweet 16 Tournaments, winning the state title with Shelby Valley as a senior. He was named MVP of that tournament.
Also seeing previous action in Rupp are Cox and Spurlin, who along with Nick Fudge and Taylor Botkin, played in two state tournaments each.
Owens never played at Rupp Arena, but he did square of with UK's Miller when both played for high schools in Maysville, Miller at Mason County and Owens at St. Patrick.
Another connection between the programs are brothers Collier and Cameron Mills. Cameron was a top reserve on UK's 1998 national title team while Collier led Transy to a No. 1 national ranking and was NAIA Player of the Year in 2001.
Calipari joked during a dinner involving both teams on Sunday that if the Pioneers pull an upset Wednesday, "they won't have to wait another 100 years for a rematch."
The teams played 14 times between 1902-03 and 1910-11. Transy won the first matchup by a 42-2 count, the most points either team has scored in the series. But Kentucky brings a two-game win-streak into Wednesday's game, winning the last meeting, 30-24.
According to historical records, the two teams stopped playing because the games were marked by unusually physical play and hard feelings.
Nothing like that should be a problem Wednesday.
"The whole city is excited that we're playing them," added Calipari. "I can't tell you how many people have come up to me and thanked me for playing this game. Transylvania is loved in this community. It's really a special school."
The taste of the big time for Transy's coaches, players, and students include the contest being televised on the IMG-UK network across the state and nationwide via Fox Sports South.
But once Wednesday is over, it will be back to reality. The Wildcats move on to an exhibition game with Morehouse on Monday while Lane's Pioneers resume preparation for their season-opener, a home contest at the Beck Center on Nov. 15 against Spalding. Transy will also play Maryville in an exhibition contest on Nov. 8 at the Beck Center.
More people will see Transy play Wednesday, including the television audience, than have seen them in the 100 years since the teams last met.
"It's truly a unique experience," said Lane, who will tie former Kentucky athletics director C.M. Newton for second place on Transy's all-time coaching list with his eighth win of the season. "We'll enjoy the moment. But on Thursday, we'll get back to reality and get ready for our season.
"When you think of the history between the two schools, and then add the enthusiasm we have on the Transy campus for the Wildcats, it makes this game special. It's really college basketball tradition on display, with the interesting twist of an exceptional small college program against the best all-time men's major college basketball program in the nation."
