SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The Transylvania Pioneers advanced to their first NCAA Division III Tournament quarterfinals with a 76-64 victory over the Mississippi College Choctaws Friday at Wittenberg's HPER Center.

Transylvania did with a strong finish to the first half and consistency throughout the final 20 minutes. The Pioneers, champions of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference, shot 54 percent in the second half and consistently answered the offensive charges of the Choctaws, champions of the American Southwest Conference. Transylvania will take a 27-4 record into the next round of the tourney, while Mississippi College rounded things out with a mark of 29-2.

The lead changed hands 14 times in the game, but the last time came on a lay-up by Transylvania's Stephen Gabbard with 3:14 left in the first half. That started a half-ending 6-0 run for the Pioneers, and that momentum carried over into the second half.

Transylvania was outrebounded in the game 35-33 and actually committed two more turnovers as well. But the Pioneers made five more shots from the free throw line and seven more from three-point range. In the second half, the Pioneers sank 6-of-12 from long range, compared to 3-of-14 by the Choctaws.

Transylvania put four players in double figures offensively, led by 18 points from Matt Finke. He added eight rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots in a superb all-around effort. Joey Searle added 16 points, Bryan Howard chipped in with 15 and Marc Bain finished with 13 points and seven rebounds. The Pioneers shot 51 percent from the field, including 11-of-25 from three-point range.

Mississippi College spread the wealth all over the stats page, but the Choctaws were unable to come up with the big shots at the key moments in going down to a Sweet Sixteen round defeat for a second straight year. Lonnie Vasquez led the Choctaws with 13 points in 18 productive minutes off the bench. Devin Jones finished with six points, nine rebounds and five assists in a fine all-around performance.