SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The best game of Day 1 of the 2005 Charles B. Zimmerman Memorial Classic was staged in the 6 p.m. time slot as Marian and Olivet went toe-to-toe with contrasting styles of play. In the end, Marian escaped with a 71-63 victory that on paper appears quite improbable.

That's because Marian, which improved to 5-5 on the season and will take on Wittenberg in the championship game on Friday night at 8 p.m., lost the rebounding battle, 39-33, shot for a lower percentage from the field and made just 3-of-19 shots from three-point range. However, the Knights had two key statistics in their favor - a 14-point advantage at the free throw line and a difference of eight turnovers in the game.

In a game that is tied three times and features seven lead changes, all in the first half, the little things make the difference, especially down the stretch. Olivet closed to within 59-57 with 4:55 to go, but the Comets missed out on two opportunities to tie the game or take the lead and Marian made them pay. The Knights hit 10-of-12 free throws in the final four minutes of the game.

Marian, which played just eight men in the game - just seven in the second half, put four players in double figures and had just six players hit the stats sheet in the scoring colum. Zach Reuter was the big man off the bench, pouring in 17 points and 12 rebounds in 23 outstanding minutes of action. Jared Reeves added 14 points, four assists and four steals, Jordan Dever chipped in with 13 points and five rebounds and Jeff Manley was solid with 13 points as well. Point guard Derek James never left the floor in the game, and he finished with nine points, three rebounds and two assists against just one turnover.

Olivet got the performance of the tournament thus far, a 28-point, 18-rebound effort from Gerald Dozie, but the Comets didn't have much else. De'Andre Pruitt added 12 points, but he made just 5-of-17 from the field, and Derek Kurtz chipped in with five points and a tournament-high seven assists off the bench.