INDIANAPOLIS - Marian got off to a good start Wednesday night, but a first half cold spell saw the men's basketball team playing from behind for the final 27 minutes of play, as Mount Vernon Nazarene handed the Knights a 78-69 defeat. Marian's loss drops them out of postseason contention, as the Knights fall to 11-16 and 5-12 in Crossroads League play.

The Knights struck first, as both Marian and Mt. Vernon Nazarene got off to a hot start from the field combining for a 7-8 start from the field. Aidan Franks and Noah Lovan paced Marian's 10-8 lead in the first 2:18, but both players cooled off as neither side converted a shot from the field over the next three minutes of play. Marian held the lead through the media timeout as the team made three foul shots, but were never able to mount a sustained advantage as the Cougars constantly clawed back.

Elhadj Diallo gave Marian a 20-16 lead with 10:19 to play in the half as Jackson Ames found the second-year man from downtown, and going into the second media timeout one minute later a Reis Butcher score held the four-point cushion. The stoppage all but sealed Marian's fate in the game, as the team endured a drought of 5:55 without a point and a 6:38 spell without a field goal, allowing Mt. Vernon Nazarene to grab their first taste of the lead. The Knights missed five field goals and committed three turnovers in their drought, while the Cougars were able to make in the paint and beyond the arc. 

Mt. Vernon would lead by as many as five in the first half, but in the final minute a pair of Aidan Franks baskets brought the Knights within one, trailing 30-29 at halftime.

The break in the action did little to slow down the Cougars, who continued their hot shooting with a 15-8 surge through the first four minutes of the second period. Marian would be forced into using their timeouts to attempt to slow down Mt. Vernon and to break their press, hanging within six points as they exhausted their final stoppage of the game with 13:20 to play. 

Trailing 48-42, Josiah Gustin was able to get Marian back within four points after Franks swiped the ball away from Gage Milton, inching back within two scores. While the score put pressure on the Cougars, the visitors were able to withstand the push and asserted their dominance on the offensive glass, as three offensive rebounds sparked a 10-0 run. Marian fell behind 58-44 after the run, trailing by 14 with just over 10 minutes to play.

Dylan Moles and Jackson Ames helped Marian stay in the fight as they were able to bring the game back within three scores, but the Cougars were able to keep in control, as a Bailey Conrad three with 7:44 to play saw the deficit grow to 13 once more. Marian continued to fight, using a late 7-0 run to inch back within four points, however three missed free throws over the final five minutes proved costly, as what could have been a one-score game grew back to three with 1:59 remaining. Moles would get his team within five in the final 1:34, but the Cougars would seal the game at the charity stripe, icing out the 78-69 win.

Moles and Franks paced the offense, as the second year guards combined for 33 points in the losing effort. Elhadj Diallo scored 13 points off the bench and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, and Jackson Ames scored seven points off the bench. Gavin Foe collected five rebounds in the loss.

Marian's season will conclude Saturday afternoon, as the Knights travel to Indiana Wesleyan for the finale. Tip is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. from Luckey Arena. 

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