INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian College men's basketball team utilized hot shooting to bust its way into the Marian College Holiday Tournament title game on Friday night at the Physical Education Center.

 

The Knights knocked off Calumet College of St. Joseph, 101-72, to earn its fourth straight win and a trip to the tourney final. They are now 8-4 on the season.

 

After jumping out to an early eight-point lead, the Knights allowed CCSJ back into the game as the Crimson Wave took a two-point lead, 33-31, at the 4:01 mark. However, the Knights closed the half by outscoring CCSJ 14-7 down the stretch including a 7-0 run to give themselves a five-point lead, 45-40, at halftime. The fun was just beginning.

 

The Knights increased their lead to nine, 53-44, with 17:07 remaining in the game. Over the next 8:13 the Knights outscored the Crimson Wave 23-7 to take a 76-51 lead and blow the game wide open with 8:54 remaining.

 

Marian College was able to maintain its lead and even pushed it to 31, 101-70, with 1:14 to go. The Knights eventually closed the game with a 101-72 win for their fourth straight victory and second straight 100-plus point game.

 

The Knights shot 57 percent from the field for the game including a blistering 73 percent (22-for-30) in the second half.

 

Sophomore Jordan Tucker (Kirklin, Indiana/Clinton Central) led all scorers with 23 points and had three rebounds and two steals.

 

Freshman Alex Sylvester (Indianapolis/Perry Meridian) had 22 points on 8-for-11 shooting, 4-for-6 from three-point range, had a team-high eight rebounds, and dished out four assists.

 

Juniors Heath Chamberlain (Brazil, Indiana/Northview) and J.R. Howell (Lapel, Indiana/Lapel) had 14 and 13 points, respectively. Chamberlain added five rebounds while sophomore Gabriel Cotton (Fishers, Indiana/Hamilton Southeastern) added seven boards for the Knights. Freshman Jameson Wheeler (Plainfield, Indiana/Plainfield) handed out a game-high five assists for the Knights.

 

The Knights knocked down 13-of-24 three-point shots and only reached the charity stripe eight times where they hit six of them.

 

In the nightcap, IU-East defeated Berea College in a Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tilt at the PE Center, 77-68, in overtime to advance to the title game.

 

On Saturday, Berea will take on Calumet St. Joseph at 1 p.m. in the consolation game at the PE Center. In the championship game, the Knights will take on IU-East at 3 p.m. with the game airing LIVE on XL 950 with Brad Wochomurka (p-b-p) and Director of Athletics Joe Haklin (color) calling the action beginning at 2:50 p.m.