Knights Survive and Advance to NAIA Second Round Behind McNally's Record-Setting Night

INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian women's basketball team took down 14-seeded St. Xavier for the second time this season, as the Knights overcame a fourth-quarter drought to come from behind and win 73-63 in overtime against the Cougars. The Knights are now 27-5 overall on the season, advancing to the NAIA Tournament Second Round. In the win the Knights' Abbey McNally became the program's all-time leading rebounder, setting a new single-game record for the Knights. 

The Knights offense struggled immensely throughout the game, showing signs of rust from their 10-day layoff. Marian was scoreless in the first two minutes of play, but even after a layup from Kenna Kirby and Abbey McNally, the Knights failed to get in a rhythm. Saint Xavier showed equal signs of rust, and mirrored a nearly identical slow start. The quarter paced back and forth with Marian and Saint Xavier trading marginal one-point leads over the final five minutes of the period, with the Knights keeping the upper-hand as they answered their opponent. The Cougars pushed in front 11-9 with 2:19 to play in the quarter after a basket from Ryann Ogarek, but would see Marian enter the second quarter with a lead, as Taylor Double knocked down her team's only three point shot in the first quarter.

Double's three-pointer gave Marian a 13-11 lead entering the second quarter, securing an advantage over their Chicagoland rivals. Like the first, the second quarter started out ice cold with neither team scoring for 2:39 to open play. Kennedy Fuelling ended the drought with a three, as the Knights began to find a rhythm on offense. The Knights stayed on top throughout the quarter, and gained a double-digit lead as both Abbey and Kiley McNally pushed the 10-point advantage. Saint Xavier would claw back, as the Cougars ended the first half on a 5-2 run, shrinking Marian's hold on the game to six points. Marian would lead 30-24 after 20 minutes of play.

The second half started out stronger than the first, as both teams had forgone their shooting woes from the opening 20 minutes, tickling the twine early in the period. Marian held strong as the Cougars went score for score, but it would not be enough to drown out the Knights. Abbey McNally's three-point play with 5:41 to play in the third quarter gave Marian a 39-31 lead, sparking a 6-0 run that shot the lead to 13 points. Marian continued to keep their foot on the pedal, ending the quarter with a Zoe Wheeler driving layup, pushing their hold on the game to 15 points as it entered the fourth quarter. Wheeler's basket gave Marian a 51-36 lead.

Although the make for Wheeler captured momentum for Marian, Saint Xavier still looked to play the upset role, opening the fourth quarter on a scoring blitz. The Cougars scored the first points of the quarter with a three-point play from Alyssa Crenshaw at the 8:42 mark, and continued scoring after that, pushing the tempo in a 16-1 run. Kiley McNally scored Marian's only point in the drought at the foul line, as the Cougars came all the way back to tie the game at 52-52 with 4:38 to play. The drought for Marian was staggering, and saw no end in sight until Abbey McNally made a shot from the low block with 4:13 to play. Despite the field goal, Marian couldn't establish an identity, allowing six unaswered points to fall behind by two scores.

Trailing 58-54 with 1:34 to play, the Knights made a march, going to Kiley McNally to get within one possession. Ryann Ogarek would split a pair of free throws with 25 seconds to play to push the visiting lead to three following a Marian turnover, but the Knights stayed composed, as Taylor Double knocked down two from the stripe with 16 seconds to play, making it a one-point game. The Cougars would again split at the line to take a two-point lead, but failed to close as with eight seconds left Marian found their All-American Abbey McNally, getting the ball to the junior for the game-tying layup. McNally was sent to the foul line on the play but failed to convert the three-point play, pushing the game to overtime knotted at 60 after a late desperation heave from Saint Xavier fell out of the rim.

In the extra session, the overtime experts Marian struck firts, getting scores from Taylor Double and Abbey McNally to build a four-point cushion. The Cougars answered Marian's offense with a three from Aaliyahna Derrell, as her bucket cut the lead to one with 1:23 to play in the free period. On the ensuing possession Marian got a second chance after their initial look was blocked, with the ball finding Kenna Kirby. Kirby rattled the rim and canned the corner three to grow Marian's lead, all but putting an end on the Cougars upset-bid. Marian's defense forced contested looks and turnovers on the final three Saint Xavier possessions, sealing the game at the foul line as the Knights survived with the 73-63 win.

Abbey McNally dominated the box score in the game, moving into fifth-place all-time in Marian's scoring book as she scored 28 points and collected 27 rebounds. McNally's 27 rebounds not only reset her own school record for rebounds in a single game, but moved her into Marian's all-time lead for rebounding, passing 2017 graduate Jenna Sullivan for the spot on the mantle. The junior also recorded her 11th consecutive double-double, giving her 21 for the campaign.

Behind McNally, Taylor Double had 16 points going 6-6 at the foul line, and Kirby scored seven. Kiley McNally led the bench with nine points in the win, grabbing nine rebounds. Marian out-rebounded Saint Xavier 58-35 in the win.

The Knights advance to the NAIA Second Round, where they will host 11-seeded Milligan College on Saturday night. Tip-off in Indianapolis is set for 6:00 p.m.