Lourdes fell behind early and was not able to recover on Friday evening as the Gray Wolves dropped their 2020-2021 season opener to 12^th-ranked Marian 77-53 on the first night of the Bethel Tip-Off Classic held inside Wiekamp Athletic Center in Mishawaka, Ind.
 
"We didn't defend well and our rotation on defense was not very good," head coach Dennis Hopson said afterwards.  "We allowed them to get to the basket.  We need to move the ball on offense and defend as a team on defense.  We need to play much tougher."
 
The Gray Wolves scored the game's first four points before the Knights responded with the next 18 over a five-minute span to take control of the contest.  Marian led by as many as 21, 34-13, in the opening half before the Gray Wolves made a run before intermission.  An 18-8 run by Lourdes pulled the Gray Wolves to within 11 before trailing 44-31 at the break.
 
Lourdes shot just 33.3% over the opening 20 minutes while the Knights connected at a 58.6% clip from the floor during the same time period.
 
After the Marian lead was pushed back to 18 early in the second half, Lourdes battled back.  Thirteen straight points over a five-minute span, capped by a basket from Little Anderson (Toledo, Ohio/Cardinal Stritch H.S.), pulled the Gray Wolves to within five, 51-46, with 11 minutes to play.
 
The Knights answered with a 16-3 run of their own over the next eight minutes to pull away as Lourdes finished the second half making just 10-of-30 from the floor to finish at 33.3% shooting for the night.
 
Clif Snow (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown H.S.) led Lourdes with 14 points and seven rebounds while Mike Bruce (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti H.S.) added 12 points.  Anderson and Kenny Coleman (Toledo, Ohio/Saint Francis de Sales H.S.) chipped in seven points each.
 
Lourdes committed just seven turnovers but was outrebounded in the game 43-31.
 
Cameron Wolter had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds for Marian (1-0) while Christian Stewart also added 16 points.  Tyrie Johnson tallied 14 points and Malek Edwards came off the bench to add 11 more as four Knights finished the night in double figures.
 
Marian shot 51.9% from the floor in the win to offset 11 miscues.
 
Lourdes (0-1) will conclude play at the Bethel Tip-Off Classic on Saturday evening facing the host Pilots.  Tip-off against Bethel (Ind.) is set for 5 p.m.