INDIANAPOLIS - Despite a scoring clinic displayed by Gus Etchison who set the Marian Arena record with 42 points Wednesday night, the Marian men's basketball team fell short against Mount Vernon Nazarene as the Cougars escaped with a 93-90 victory. The Knights loss drops them to 14-4 overall and 4-4 in Crossroads League play. 

Mount Vernon came out firing on all cylinders Wednesday night, putting Marian in an early 11-2 hole through the game's first two minutes of play. A Josh Bryan three-pointer would halt the Cougars run after Marian settled things with a timeout, but it was not enough to get Marian truly into the game as they trailed 17-10 at the first media timeout. The Knights put the free timeout to use and scored on back to back offensive trips to cut the difference to one score, but the Cougars showed their teeth and responded with seven straight points to put their claim on the lead.

The Knights trailed 24-16 as the clock rolled under 10 minutes to play in the first half, but were able to keep within striking distance of Mount Vernon with short offensive bursts, getting a quick five points from Gus Etchison and Josh Bryan after the under-10 timeout. A three-point margin would be the closest Marian would get to taking the lead in the first half, as the Cougars roared back in front with five unanswered points to reclaim a double figure lead with 7:21 to play before the half. Mount Vernon led by as many as 15 points in the first half, but a late spark created by Etchison whittled the difference to seven at the break, as the guard scored or assisted on Marian's final 13 points of the half.

A pair of three's from the Cicero, Indiana, native in the final 60 seconds before the half brought the score to 48-41 at intermission.

The Cougars prevented Marian from keeping their momentum bottled as the second half started, as they played aggressive in the first three minutes and raced the lead back into double figures. The keys to the offense were handed to Etchison to keep Marian in the game, as the guard attacked with scores from outside and kicked out passes to open shooters. Dylan Moles and Maximus Gizzi helped get Marian back within two possessions on the board, and with 10:37 to play in the game an open three off the pass from Gizzi leveled the score at 66-66.

The game hit a back and forth pace after the game drew level, with the two sides trading baskets or stops for two minutes of play. Back to back scores coupled with a Gavin Foe block gave Marian their first lead of the game with 7:35 left, as Ben Henderson pushed the home team on top 72-70. Mount Vernon would rally and take back the lead, going on top 77-74 with 4:37 to play.

Etchison continued to have the hot hand and willed Marian back in front with a three-pointer at the 3:32 mark and a pair of shots at the charity stripe 30 seconds later, but it would fail to be enough as the Cougars found eight points in 58 seconds to vault back on top. Trailing 88-85 with 90 seconds to play, the Knights got a second chance tip-in from Foe to keep them in the game, and a fall-away three from Etchison with 42 seconds remaining leveled the score 88-88. Mount Vernon would play out the clock on their ensuing possession and scored to beat the shot clock, as Kade Reugsegger converted a three-point play with 15 seconds remaining to give Mount Vernon their final lead. Josh Bryan would knock down a pair of foul shots with four seconds left before Marian was forced to foul, and on their final play of the game Brody Whitaker was able to get off a contested look at the buzzer, but his heave came short in the 93-90 defeat. 

Despite suffering the loss, Etchison scored a modern-day record for Marian men's basketball 42 points, also setting the Marian Arena scoring record. The junior also added seven assists in the game, as he scored or assisted on 58 of Marian's 90 points. Maximus Gizzi and Brody Whitaker each scored nine points, and Josh Bryan scored eight points while collecting a team-high nine rebounds. Each Knight scored three or more points in the game.

Marian closes the first half of the conference slate on Saturday afternoon, traveling to No. 5 Indiana Wesleyan. Saturday's game tips at 3:00 p.m.

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