INDIANAPOLIS – Four players scored double figures and the Marian men’s basketball team defeated league rival St. Francis 72-58 Wednesday night on John Grimes Court in Indianapolis. With the win, Marian is 25-6 overall and advances to the Crossroads League Tournament semifinals on Saturday.
After four quick Marian points to open the game, both offenses went missing for the first part of the half. St. Francis started 2-for-7 from the field and Marian forced two shot clock violations. After making its first two shots, Marian went 3-for-9, but was able to build a 10-4 lead with 13 minutes to play in the half. St. Francis clawed their way back in the game and pulled within one, 17-16, with 8:30 to play.
The two teams traded baskets over the next three minutes, but with 5:40 to play TJ Henderson navigated through traffic for a layup and Reginald Kissoonlal swatted a shot on the defensive end. His block was the start of a 2:30 stretch in which St. Francis did not score. However, Marian was only able to extend their lead to five during the stretch as the Knights continued to struggle from the field.
Marian would eventually take a 30-27 lead to the locker room despite shooting 43 percent from the field. St. Francis shot 38 percent and the two teams combined to go 5-for-21 from three point land. Despite the poor shooting, Marian led for the entire game except for 1:07 when it was tied.
The Cougars took their first lead of the game at the 17 minute mark as part of an 8-4 run to open the half. The Knights finally brought life the building with 15:30 to play. Kissoonlal slammed one home and Sterling Brown stole the ensuing inbounds pass and laid it in to make it 38-35, Marian.
The back-to-back buckets were the start of a 13-2 run that helped Marian to a 10 point lead, which was their largest of the night. The inside duo of Kissoonlal and Cameron Wolter pushed Marian’s lead to 16 with 8:21 to play and the Knights maintained a double-digit lead for the next seven minutes. St. Francis cut the lead to nine with 1:41 to play, but Marian closed the game out at the free throw line and punched their ticket to the semifinals.
Marian shot 49 percent from the field, while St. Francis finished 39 percent. The Knights went 2-for-13 from 3-point land in the first half, but went 3-for-4 in the second half. Marian won the rebounding battle 37-30 and forced 15 St. Francis turnovers. In the win, Kissoonlal surpassed the 1,000 point mark for his career and finished the game with 20 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks. Wolter added 17 points and seven rebounds, while Brown scored 14 and Henderson had 12.
Marian will travel to second-seeded Indiana Wesleyan Saturday for a 3 p.m. tipoff in the Crossroads League Tournament semifinals.