INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian men's basketball team improved their regular season start to 4-0 Friday night in the PE Center, as the Knights closed their home classic with a commanding 98-44 win over East-West. 

Marian scored the opening points of the game and would trail for just 23 seconds on Friday, as the offense got off to a strong start with Maximus Gizzi canning a pair of open treys and Gus Etchison flushing a dunk as part of an 11-4 start. The lead would double as Gavin Foe and Brody Whitaker went to work, with the duo scoring the first nine of an 11-0 run to jump on top 22-9.

A Rowen Farrell three point make at the 10:20 mark pushed the team total to 25, setting Marian's lead at a comfortable 16-19 point range for a five minute stretch. With 2:17 to play in the first half Aidan Franks sparked an 8-0 run, as fellow freshman Elhadj Diallo and Ben Henderson helped charge the lead over 20 points. Diallo would score the final points of the half for the Knights, as they took a 48-25 lead into the break over the Phantoms.

The closest East West would come within Marian's lead in the second half would be 24 points, as Marian's offense continued to light up the scoreboard. The combination of Foe and Whitaker helped Marian claim a 56-28 lead at the under-15 media timeout, while a jumper from Gus Etchison with 11:09 to play gave the team their first 30-point advantage of the game. 

With 5:28 to play in the game Marian claimed a 40-point edge as Elahdj Diallo put in back to back layups for Marian scores. The Knights would end the game leading by 54 points as Farrell, Franks, and Henderson put in the final points of the game for the team, with Marian coasting to their 98-44 victory.

Marian ended the game shooting 58 percent from the floor, making 19 field goal attempts in both the first and second halves. Whitaker led all players with 18 points, while Etchison and Ames scored 14 and 13, respecitvely. Off the bench Diallo and Franks each recorded their first career double-figure scoring games, with Diallo dropping 12 and Franks finishing with 10. Foe led the team in rebounds with 11, and Gizzi had a team-best five assists. Both Jackson Ames and Nolan Foster recorded three blocked shots.

The Knights will return to action next Wednesday as they travel to the Chicagoland area, taking on Governors State in their final non-conference game before the Crossroads League opener. Tip is 8 p.m.



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