LEXINGTON, Ky. – A spot in the championship game of the 2024 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Tournament was up for grabs on Friday (Feb. 23) night, with fourth-seeded Franklin taking on top-seeded Transylvania.
 
The Grizzlies (17-10) were done in by a slow start and the Pioneers (26-0) took control, as Transylvania went on to claim an 83-52 win and bring Franklin's season to a close.
 
The Pioneers flustered Franklin in the opening period to take a lead they would hold the entire game, holding Franklin to just four first quarter points. Leading scorer Jordan Coon finished the night with a team-high 12 points and Georgia Hanauer added 11 points finished with team-highs with nine rebounds and four assists.
 
Franklin shot 38.2% (21-for-55) from the field, knocking down six threes and four of their six free throws.
 
The Grizzlies finish the season with 17 wins in head coach Jessica Darmelio's second season, their most since 2019-20 when Franklin won 18 games and made their most recent appearance in the HCAC semifinals.