Box Score Playing its third top-four ranked program of the season on Saturday afternoon, Lourdes battled number four Marian to the wire before suffering a 76-69 defeat to the Knights at the Marian Physical Education Center in Indianapolis, Ind.
 
Lourdes had four players finish in double figures, led by Zach Steinmetz (Toledo, Ohio/Saint John's H.S.) who scored 17 points.  Anthony Swanigan (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike H.S.) added 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting, while also grabbing a team-high eight rebounds.  Julian Johnson (Columbus, Ohio/Horizon H.S.) and E.J. Blackwell (Rochester, Pa./Rochester H.S.) each tallied 14 points for the Gray Wolves.  Alonzo Hamilton (Linden, N.J./The Robinson School) just missed double figures, posting nine points on the afternoon.
 
Marian led 29-25 late in the first half before the Gray Wolves went on a 10-2 run, capped by a three-pointer by Johnson, to take a 35-31 lead with 1:25 to play before intermission.  The Knights responded with the final five points of the stanza though, to retake the lead by one at the break.
 
The Knights extended the lead to four early in the second half before Lourdes again rallied to take a lead.  A jumper by Johnson at the 15:18 mark put the Gray Wolves back in front 42-41.  The lead went back and forth midway through the second stanza before a pair of free throws by Steinmetz pushed the Lourdes lead to four, 54-50, with nine minutes to play.  A 9-2 run by the hosts gave Marian the lead for good and the Knights led for the final seven minutes of the game.
 
Jake Mills led Marian (13-0) with 19 points, making all five of his three-point attempts, while Wesley Sowers added 14 points.  Nick Painter chipped in 12 points for the Knights.
 
Lourdes (6-7) will continue its road trip on Tuesday as the Gray Wolves head to Gary, Ind. to face Indiana-Northwest.  Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. EST at the Savannah Center.