No. 1 Marian Claims CL Tournament Championship, 77-66, Over No. 4 IWU

Crossroads League Championships Central

INDIANAPOLIS - For the first time since 2020, the Marian women's basketball team has won the Crossroads League Tournament Championship, as the Knights painted a defensive masterpiece in the second half as they won 77-66 over No. 4 Indiana Wesleyan. Marian's championship gives them the CL sweep for the first time since 2018, while lifting their record to 30-1 on the year.

The Knights came out aggressive after winning the opening tip, pushing the tempo with a quick 6-0 run. Indiana Wesleyan slowly carved away at the lead by making it a one-point game with 4:21 to play as the low-scoring affair saw 19 combined points. The lead changed hands five times over the final four minutes with the Wildcats taking their first share of the lead, but Marian was able to counter with Ella Collier and Abbey McNally shouldering the offense. Collier put Marian on top 20-19 with 20 seconds to play in the opening quarter, but a brief lapse allowed Klair Merrell to get open for three, as the Knights fell behind 22-20 after one.

Indiana Wesleyan would go on to control most of the second quarter, as Lilli Frasure and Jordan Reid helped boost the Wildcats lead to seven points. Kinnidy Garrard and Tamia Perryman helped Marian stay in the battle, while a pair of three's from Collier and Bosse after a timeout whittled the deficit to three, but the Wildcats roared back with scores from Jade Nutley. The Wildcats led by as many as 11 points in the second half, but would only lead by nine at the intermission as Abbey McNally and Ella Collier scored to make the contest a three-possession, 47-38 game.

The Knights shot 53 percent from the field in the first half to battle with Indiana Wesleyan's 58 percent clip, but a difference of five made field goals and four three-point makes allowed the Wildcats to hold an edge.

After making adjustments in the locker room at halftime, Marian attacked the Indiana Wesleyan defense, as Kinnidy Garrard and Ella Collier got to work on offense. Within two minutes the lead was trimmed to five thanks to the two seniors, and with 5:34 to play in the third quarter Marian had cut the gap to one as Collier scored on a fastbreak layup. Marian kept their run going through an IWU timeout and misses by the Wildcats, going on a 10-0 sprint to take the lead as McNally and Garrard scored inside. Maddie Lawrence would tie the game at 52-52 with 3:28 to play in the quarter, but the Wildcats' defense couldn't stop Marian as Bosse, Collier, and Perryman out-scored their opponents 6-2 in the final two minutes to capture a 58-54 lead.

Marian out-scored Indiana Wesleyan 20-7 in the third quarter, as their defense allowed just three made shots from the floor.

The intensity on defense continued into the final quarter, as the Knights kicked the door wide open with an 11-0 run that spanned through the first seven minutes of the half. Marian's suffocating defense forced seven missed shots and four turnovers in the span, as the lead grew to 15 points at a 69-54 mark. A Jade Nutley three-pointer would end the Wildcats drought as their 7-0 run brought the score to an eight-point difference with 1:43 to play.

Leading 69-61, the game turned to a free throw battle for Marian with Garrard, Collier, McNally making trips to the line to keep a multiple-possession lead. Indiana Wesleyan would only come within seven points of Marian's lead as the Knights' foul shooters kept the edge, and with 17 seconds Jayla Wehner iced the game, sinking two free throws to give Marian a 77-66 lead. Marian would force a missed three pointer on IWU's final possession, as Garrard grabbed her 10th rebound to seal the championship with Marian winning 77-66.

The Knights held Indiana Wesleyan to a 21 percent field goal percentage in the second half on Monday night, while shooting 59 percent on their offensive end. Collier led the Knights with a game-high 27 points, and Kinnidy Garrard scored 21 points to go with 10 rebounds for a double-double. McNally also finished with a double-double scoring 13 points to go with 12 rebounds. Bosse finished the night with eight points, and Perryman scored six. Sara Majorosova led the team with five assists, and Wehner had a game-high four steals.

Marian's win captures the Crossroads League Tournament sweep, giving Marian both titles for the first time since 2017-18. Marian has now won the CL Tournament five times. The Knights win was also their 28th consecutive victory, setting a program record for most consecutive wins.

Marian, the odds-on favorite to be the top-seed in the NAIA National Tournament, will learn their spot in the bracket and their NAIA First Round Opponent on Thursday, March 7 during the NAIA Selection Show. The show airs at 8:00 p.m. ET on the NAIA YouTube channel.