SPRING ARBOR, Mich. (Interstat) — Travis Grayson scored 26 points to lead a balanced Spring Arbor attack as the Cougars pulled away in the second half for a 78-62 victory over Marian in a men’s NAIA basketball game Wednesday night.

The game, a rematch of a one-point Marian win in November, was tightly contested for the first 20 minutes before Spring Arbor used a decisive run after halftime to secure the win. The Cougars improved to 8-10 overall, while the Knights fell to 4-17.

Grayson, Spring Arbor’s top performer, added five rebounds and five assists to his game-high point total. He was instrumental in the Cougars’ second-quarter surge, consistently attacking the basket and getting to the free-throw line, where he made all six of his attempts. His backcourt mate, Dante Favor, recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, controlling the interior for Spring Arbor.

The most important stretch of the game came early in the second quarter. After a high-scoring first quarter that ended with Marian leading 36-35, the Knights’ offense stalled against a tightened Spring Arbor defense. The Cougars opened the period on a 19-7 run, turning a one-point deficit into a 54-43 lead they would not relinquish. During that span, Marian committed four turnovers and shot just 3 of 13 from the field, allowing Spring Arbor to seize control.

Marian was led by Dylan Moles, who finished with 20 points. Aidan Franks added 14 points and five rebounds for the Knights. The visitors struggled mightily from beyond the arc, connecting on only 3 of 19 three-point attempts, a 15.8 percent clip. Their offensive inefficiency was highlighted by an offensive rating of 87.0 points per 100 possessions.

Spring Arbor, conversely, found more consistent success. The Cougars shot 45.5 percent from the field compared to Marian’s 41.9 percent and won the rebounding battle decisively, 43-32, including a 12-7 edge on the offensive glass. Brandon Trilli contributed 13 points and eight rebounds for the Cougars, while Shane Rykse provided a key spark off the bench with 12 points, including two three-pointers during the second-quarter run.

Defensively, Spring Arbor forced 12 Marian turnovers and converted them into 15 points, while committing only 10 turnovers of their own. The Cougars also tallied nine steals, led by Grayson’s active presence on the perimeter.

The victory allowed Spring Arbor to split the season series with Marian and provided a positive start to a key stretch of conference play. The Knights will look to rebound on the road at Goshen on Saturday, while the Cougars host Mount Vernon Nazarene the same day.