SPRING ARBOR, Mich. - The Marian University men's basketball team dropped a 74-59 decision to Spring Arbor University in Spring Arbor, Mich. on Saturday afternoon. The loss dropped the Knights to 8-11 overall and 1-8 in the Mid-Central College Conference.

Sophomore Alex Sylvester (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) led three Knights in double figures and tallied his first career double-double with a game-high 23 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

After scoring the game's first bucket at the 18:13 mark, the Knights fell behind by nine, 11-2, as SAU went on an 11-0 run over the next 3:42. The Cougars were able to push the lead to 10 at 16-6 with 9:36 remaining in the first half before the Knights started to trim away.

They cut the lead to four, 25-21, with 4:35 remaining, and completed the comeback when junior Anthony Furlin (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) buried a three-pointer to give the Knights a one-point lead at 28-27 with 1:52 to go in the half. They pushed the lead to five at 32-27 before the Cougars scored the last five points of the frame to send the teams to the locker rooms tied, 32-32. Both teams shot over 50 percent in the first half, and both teams were hot from three-point range.

Out of the locker room, SAU took control with a 12-2 run over the first 3:21 to take a commanding 10-point lead, 44-34. The Knights were able to trim it to eight at 47-39, but the Cougars out-scored MU by a 16-6 margin over a five-minute span to push the lead to 18 at 62-44.

The Knights could only get as close as 15 over the final eight minutes as SAU cruised to the 74-59 victory.

Marian went ice cold from the field in the second half as the Knights shot just 27 percent (9-of-33) and just 55 percent (6-of-11) from the free throw line. They also shot just 25 percent (3-of-12) from three-point land. The Knights did out-rebound the Cougars by a 34-32 margin.

Junior Jordan Tucker (Kirklin, Ind./Clinton Central) tallied 11 points and had two rebounds, while Furlin hit for 10 points and four rebounds.

The Knights return to the Physical Education Center on Tuesday when they host Grace College. Tip is slated for 7 p.m. and the game will air LIVE on XL 950 AM (WXLW) and online at www.muknights.com. LIVE STATISTICS will also be provided at www.muknights.com.