Heading into the season, Franklin women's basketball believed it was good enough to match up against anybody in the HCAC, regardless of what the preseason rankings — the league's coaches voted the Grizzlies sixth — had to say.

So far this season, the results have justified the team's faith in itself. The Grizzlies are off to an 11-3 start overall and tied for first in the conference at 6-1, having already beaten three teams (Anderson, Hanover and Berea) that were picked ahead of them in that preseason poll and nearly knocking off another, losing a one-point overtime battle at Mount St. Joseph.

On Wednesday night, Franklin faces its biggest test of the conference season to date when league co-leader Transylvania, which has won the conference tournament and at least a share of the regular-season championship in each of the last seven years, visits the Spurlock Center.

The Pioneers have won the last 18 meetings in the series, including eight straight by double digits — but the Grizzlies, who have won five straight and nine of their last 10, have plenty of reason to believe that they can end that drought.

"We were obviously looked at as an underdog," senior post Kate Breeden said. "At this point, we still kind of are. ... But I think, even from the beginning, we knew we had a good team and we knew we compete with anyone — so I think this is our chance to go out and prove that."

Though the Grizzlies haven't seen Transy since last February, when the Pioneers left Spurlock with a 66-50 win, the two teams have had remarkably similar results so far this season beyond their identical win-loss records. In early-season games at Denison on consecutive days, Transylvania took a 77-73 loss and the Grizzlies were defeated by a 76-70 score. Denison is currently 14-0 and ranked 15th in the nation. 

Franklin lost at Mount St. Joseph by one and beat Anderson at home by 11; the Pioneers lost at Anderson by one and beat MSJ at home by six.

Few expected the Grizzlies to be contending for a league title after they finished 9-9 in HCAC games last winter, landing in a four-way tie for fourth after a late slide, and then going through an offseason coaching change. But from the beginning, first-year head coach Ashley Blanch was optimistic about the team she inherited, citing team chemistry and enthusiastic buy-in from all of the players.

Nothing that's happened since the season started has changed her opinions.

"I really feel like the girls are really trusting what (assistant coach Cyleigh Wilson) and I are putting together, and they're also then trusting their teammates to have their back," Blanch said.

"Our team chemistry is unbeatable," Breeden added. "We work so well together. Team bonding off the court has helped a lot too; you're out there playing with your friends. It's not just your teammates — you're playing with your friends."

Senior guard Jordan Coon leads Franklin with 16.6 points per game, but the offense has been well balanced behind her, with Molly Schulte and Erica Buening each averaging 10.9 points and Payton Seay close behind at 9.7. Breeden adds 7.9 points and a team-leading 5.6 rebounds per game. Junior point guard Briley Munchel has handed out 59 assists.

The defense has also benefited from an all-hands-on-deck approach; Seven Grizzlies are in double digits in steals this season, led by Munchel with 37.

The Grizzlies have been particularly sharp at home, where they're a perfect 5-0 and haven't lost since that last meeting with Transy last Feb. 12.

Wednesday evening offers the stiffest challenge to that streak, but Franklin is trying to treat it like any other day at the office.

"This is a big game, but every single game is big," Blanch said. "We have to make sure every single day, we're playing as a championship team. No letdown is something that we've really talked about."

While every game does matter, there's no denying that for a team that's worn the underdog label all season — even as it's ascended to the top of the league standings — the chance to take on the reigning queens of the HCAC court means just a little bit more.

It's an opportunity for the Grizzlies to prove that they truly belong in the championship conversation ... and they're excited for it.

"Our whole season, from how it's going so far, I think we've proved that we can compete and we can win against the better teams," Breeden said. "I think it'll just be fun to go out there and know that — especially having support from the coaching staff — knowing that we can go out there and win that game."