With all the hard work and hustle shown by both teams Tuesday night, you wouldn't know both Marion and Center Point-Urbana came into their WAMAC conference matchup with just one victory apiece all season.

After taking a 12-point lead at halftime, the visiting Pointers withstood a fierce fourth quarter comeback by the Indians to prevail, 62-56, in a girls basketball game at Marion.

"Fouls and free throws just killed us," said Marion Coach Brian O'Donnell. "The effort was there all night, but we just couldn't get over the hump."

His team, now 1-7, has lost five games by six points or less. Marion outscored CPU, 46-38, from the field, but the visitors hit 24 of 39 free throws to just 10 of 16 for the Indians.

"Our post players were in foul trouble all night," O'Donnell pointed out.

After a tight first quarter, the visitors extended a one-point lead to 34-22 at the half. They led by nine points going into the final stanza, but the Indians put on a scrappy full-court press and half-court ball pressure that rattled the Pointers into turnovers and missed shots.

The lead was cut to 48-45 with 4:54 to go on a layup and free throw by Marion junior Dani Peyton. Two minutes later, however, CPU was back up nine on a put-back and free throw by 5-foot-10 freshman Kennedy Salow.

A 3-pointer by Indian senior Kristin Kramer brought her team as close as 55-51 with 1:25 to play, but the Pointers closed out the game on free throws against the undersized and foul-plagued Indians.

"Our defense gave them too many opportunities in the first half," O'Donnell said. "We adjusted well in the second half. It was just too much to overcome."

CPU (2-7) was led by junior sharpshooter Maddie Wilkin with 16 points.

Kristin Kramer shared scoring honors for Marion with 12 points, along with sophomore Beth Knapp.

CENTER POINT-URBANA (62): Salow 2 4-7 8, Stone 1 0-0 2, Wilkin 4 5-8 16, Jones 1 0-0 2, Gauley 1 0-0 3, Blood 1 7-12 9, Bryant 0 4-7 4, Kramer 0 1-1 1, Millikin 1 0-0 3, Hepker 3 0-0 9, Costigan 1 3-4 5. Totals 15 24-39 62.

MARION (56): Smith 1 0-0 3, Knapp 4 1-3 12, Combs 2 6-8 10, J. Kramer 1 0-0 2, K. Kramer 5 0-0 12, Peyton 2 3-3 7, Jones 3 0-0 6, Scott 0 0-2 0, Perkins 2 0-0 4. Totals 20 10-16 56.