LISLE, Ill. - Playing at home for just the second time this season, the 12th-ranked Benedictine University men's basketball team held off a late surge from Marian University to win 84-76 and improve to 5-0 on the year.

FINAL SCORE
Benedictine 84, Marian 76

THE DETAILS
• Both teams were slow at the outset, taking nearly two minutes for the first points to be scored
• Down 4-2, Adam Reynolds opened an 8-0 run with a layup at the 17:06 mark with Luke Johnson draining a three to finish the stretch, making the score 10-4 Benedictine with 16:04 remaining in the first half
• Marian came back to lead by four at 21-17 near the middle of the first half
• Benedictine struck for 11 unanswered points to open a 28-21 edge on a pair of free throws from Shawn Soelter with 8:20 to play
• Marian cut the deficit to three prior to an 11-0 run to close the opening half, handing Benedictine a 49-35 lead at the break
• The lead reached 18 points in the second half on two occasions at 57-39 and 59-41
• The visitors pulled within five at 79-74 with just over a minute left before five consecutive points again made it a double figure contest
• Benedictine led the entire second half of a game that featured two ties and three lead changes

FROM THE COACH
"We are very happy with the start to conference play this week," head coach Keith Bunkenburg said. "Every game presents a unique challenge, and we have stepped up so far. We are excited about our depth so far with a different individual seemingly leading the way every contest. That will only help us as we progress deeper into the season."

STAT LEADERS
• Four players scored in double figures for Benedictine led by a season high 21 from Luke Johnson, who has scored in double figures in every game this season
• Johnson also added 10 rebounds, five assists, and a pair of blocks, logging his second consecutive double-double
• Michael Blaszczyk finished with 17 points and seven rebounds
• John Dodson notched 15 points and Reynolds added 10
• Benedictine held a 40-29 edge on the glass and scored 42 points in the paint
• Benedictine shot 51.7 percent in the first half and finished the game at 48.4 percent

UP NEXT
Benedictine (5-0, 2-0 NACC) hosts MSOE on Wednesday night