INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The University of Saint Francis (Ind.) men's basketball team picked up a road Crossroads League win on Saturday, January 10, defeating Marian University by a final score of 88–74 in Indianapolis.

The Cougars and the Knights battled back and forth in the opening half. The Cougars used a balanced offensive attack to take a 44–41 lead into halftime before pulling away in the second half with another 44-point frame to secure the 14-point victory and improve to 8–9 overall and 3–5 in conference play.

Saint Francis shot 44.4% (32-72) from the field while knocking down 11 three-pointers and going 13-for-16 from the free throw line. The Cougars controlled the glass with a 42–29 rebounding advantage and held the edge in the paint, outscoring Marian 44–38, while also winning the battle in bench points, 34–18. Marr Avance led Saint Francis with 24 points, adding eight rebounds and six assists. Jevon Lewis followed with 20 points and four assists, while Karson Rogers chipped in nine points and five rebounds. Off the bench, Eugene Young Jr. contributed 14 points and six rebounds, Braeden Messenger scored 12 points and Malachi King added eight points and seven rebounds.

The Cougars (7-9, 2-5 CL) will return home this Wednesday night for a 7:30 PM matchup against Huntington at the Hutzell Athletic Center.

Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point, Lafayette and online. Saint Francis Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 21 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. More than 1,900 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.