CHANDLER, Ariz.– Rocky Mountain College opened their first game of the 2019 Cactus Classic with a 95-76 loss to Marian University on Sunday. 

The game was Marian's from tip to buzzer after the Knights began the game on a 9-3 run. Rocky drew the game within two before the Knights jumped ahead on an 19-4 run and secured a comfortable lead. Rocky never built enough momentum to battle back from the early deficit and trailed by as much as 35 points in the second period.

The Battlin' Bears struggled to contain the Knights from beyond the arc. Marian shot 58.8 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from deep. Rocky, on the other hand, shot a 43.6 field goal percentage and landed 31.8 percent of their three point attempts.

Marian held a 27-21 edge in boards on the day, but had 19 turnovers to Rocky's 17.

Shooting 50 percent from the field, Darius Henderson scored a game-high 24 points for the Battlin' Bears. Brandon The Boy and Lukas Vining each had 11-point performances.

The Knights were led by a pair of 20-point performances from Hayden Langkabel and Christian Stewart. Christian Harvey added an additional 14 points while Tyrie Johnson had 12.

The Battlin' Bears will play their second of three games in the 2019 Cactus Classic tomorrow against Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Ariz.) at 6 p.m.