Lourdes University has dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season after falling to Marian 78-70 on Monday afternoon on the second day of the Saint Xavier Midwest Tournament held at the Shannon Center in Chicago, Ill.
 
The Gray Wolves fell behind early 6-1 before Zach Steinmetz (Toledo, Ohio/Saint John's H.S.) tallied the team's first field goal just over five minutes into the contest.  Lourdes tied the game at nine following a three-pointer by Aaron Ashley (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights H.S.), but Marian prevented the Gray Wolves from taking the lead, scoring the game's next five points.
 
Leading 18-15 at the 10:08 mark, Marian scored 17 of the next 21 points to build a 35-19 advantage with 4:36 remaining before halftime.  The Gray Wolf defense went to work, holding the Knights without a field goal the rest of the half, while the offense responded with an 11-1 run to close the stanza.  Marian took a 36-30 lead into the locker room.
 
Marian came out of the break scoring the first six points to push the lead to 12 after scoring on its first three possessions of the second half.  Lourdes cut its deficit to eight, 42-34, with 17 minutes remaining, only to see the Knights extend the lead back to 15 over the next four minutes.
 
A 12-5 run by Lourdes, capped by a layup from Jake DuPree (Toledo, Ohio/Whiteford H.S.) pulled the Gray Wolves to within six, 62-56, with 6:31 to play, but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the game.  A 7-0 run by Marian gave the Knights a 15-point advantage with 1:45 to play.  Lourdes forced several turnovers down the stretch, but was only able to close to within eight the rest of the way.
 
Steinmetz led Lourdes with 25 points while DuPree added 16.  E.J. Blackwell (Rochester, Pa./Rochester H.S.) chipped in 14 points. 
 
Dion Smith led Marian (9-4) with 37 points, making 10-of-17 shots from the floor and 17-of-21 free throw attempts while pulling down 12 rebounds for a double-double.  Jason Riley added 14 points and John Goodlow contributed 13 more for the Knights.  Marian made 29-of-36 free throws in the game.
 
Lourdes (9-5) will close out action both at the Saint Xavier Midwest Tournament and for the 2014 calendar year on Tuesday afternoon as the Gray Wolves face host Saint Xavier.  Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. EST against the 15^th-ranked Cougars at the Shannon Center.