BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Marian men's basketball team began its 2025-26 season on Friday night in the team's now-annual exhibition contest against the Indiana Hoosiers. Indiana won the contest 107-46, with Marian employing six new Knights in the second season in the Pat Knight era. 

Marian competed with the Hoosiers out of the gate, trailing Indiana 7-4 at the game's first media timeout. Aidan Franks and Ron Rutland III scored Marian's first points of the contest, and continued to get contested looks after the opening stoppage of play. Despite the good scoring looks, Marian failed to see a shot drop in the basket for a near nine minutes, while Indiana knocked down nearly every shot they took, despite the strong contest by the Marian defense. A 26-0 run put the Hoosiers in control, as the division one foe amassed a 27-point advantage halfway through the first period.

The Knights would find scoring in the first half through Aidan Franks, who poured in 12 points in the period, including a stretch of five unanswered points to get the team in a groove. Franks' shooting helped Marian gain confidence, with the team making seven of their last nine shot attempts entering halftime. Aaron Humphrey Jr. scored seven points in the first half of his Marian debut, getting shots to fall during the waning moments of the half. Indiana led 67-22 at the half.

The second half continued to see Indiana remain in control, but the Knights were able to win spurts of play, getting solid play from Franks and Humphrey Jr. Humphrey ignited the second half scoring for Marian, putting in the team's first five points of the half. The Knights would fight and contest the Hoosiers' looks, but came up shy in getting stops against the hot-shooting squad. 

Noah Lovan and Blake Russell would get scores late in the second half for Marian to add to their totals, while defensively, the Knights limited Indiana to nine points over the final seven minutes of play. A three-point field goal from Joshua Renfro capped the Knights' scoring efforts on the evening, as the final score would settle at a 107-46 count.

Humphrey Jr. and Franks each scored a team-high 14 points in the game, while Rutland III and Lovan each had five. Renfro finished with six, and Russell scored two in the game. Humphrey led Marian in rebounding with seven.

The Knights finished the game shooting 29 percent from the field and 22 percent from deep, while Indiana would shoot 58 percent from the floor and 50 percent from three. 

Marian's season will officially get underway next Saturday, October 25, when the Knights travel to Wilberforce University. Tip is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.

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