FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Despite going cold with 7:44 to play in the game, the Marian University women's basketball team defeated the University of Northwestern Ohio, 63-53, at the Indiana Tech Tournament in Fort Wayne, Ind., on Friday night.

The Knights built a 31-point lead, but could not maintain as the Racers held the Knights without a field goal over the final 7:44 to cut the gap. However, the 21-0 run was not enough as the Knights held on for the 10-point victory to improve to 5-5 on the season.

Marian University jumped in front quickly as they out-scored the Racers by a 22-7 margin over the first 8:41 of the game. The Racers cut the lead back to nine, 28-19, with 6:23 remaining in the frame before a layup by freshman Nikki Schmidt (Avon, Ind./Avon) scored the last bucket of the half to put the Knights up by a 34-23 margin at the half.

The Knights out-scored the Racers by a 24-8 margin in the paint and received a lift off the bench to the tune of 18 first half points. They shot a red-hot 58 percent (15-for-26) from the field and held the high-octane Racers offense to just 24 percent (8-for-33) in the first 20 minutes.

MU picked up right where it left off out of the locker room as a 6-0 run was capped by a layup from senior Molly Lauck (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove) to give the Knights a 40-23 lead with 17:07 remaining. The Racers cut the lead back to 13, 40-27, with 15:42 to go before the Knights went on a 7-0 run to take a 47-27 lead with 14:01 remaining.

The Racers cut it back to 17, 47-30, with 12:48 to go before the Knights embarked on a 16-2 run over the next 5:04 to take a 31-point lead, 63-32, with 7:44 to go. Freshman Amie Larkins (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) led the Knights with six points and two offensive rebounds during the five-minute span. That was when the lid was slammed shut on the rim for the Knights.

The Knights went 0-for-9 from the field and committed nine turnovers over the final 7:44 to allow the Racers to go on a 21-0 run to close the game. However, the damage was already done as the Knights hung on for the 63-53 victory.

Despite going cold for nearly eight minutes, the Knights out-scored the Racers by a 26-6 margin in the paint and 10-6 in second-chance points. The Racers capitalized on the Knights' 15 second half turnovers to the tune of 13 points, but it was not enough as they fell to 5-3 on the season.

The Knights shot 40 percent (14-for-35) in the second half and, even though they did not score for nearly eight minutes, still out-shot the Racers, who shot a cold 19 percent (7-for-37) from the field, in the second half.

The Knights also set a single-game school record for rebounds after they pounded the glass for 61 boards, including 18 on the offensive end.

Larkins and Lauck led the Knights as both posted double-doubles. Larkins notched her first career double-double after she scored a team-high 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Lauck added 11 points and 13 rebounds for her second double-double of the campaign. It is the third straight game in which she has grabbed double-digit rebounds. She is averaging 14.3 boards per game over the last three contests.

Freshman Whitley Emerson (Speedway, Ind./Speedway) added eight points and nine rebounds in 15 minutes for the Knights.

Marian University takes on host Indiana Tech on Saturday at the Schaefer Center in Fort Wayne, Ind. Tip is slated for 2 p.m., and the game will air LIVE at www.muknights.com beginning at 1:50 p.m.