Wabash played even with third-ranked Marietta College Friday night before falling 99-92 in the finale of the opening day of the 2021 Great Lakes Invitational. 

Wabash (1-2) used a strong inside game to match the solid shooting of the host Pioneers (2-1). The Little Giants scored 46 points in the paint with Kellen Schreiber connecting on all seven of his shot attempts around the basket on the way to a 20-point night. Ahmoni Jones provided a second inside presence for Wabash. The junior hit five inside baskets along with three three-point shots to finish with a game-high 24 points. 

Wabash trailed by as many as 16 points in the closing seconds of the first half. After a Cam Chadd two-point basket with 7:11 left to play in the first period cut the Marietta lead to 31-30, the Pioneers went on a 12-0 run over the next 3-1/2 minutes to move in front 43-30. Jack Davidson ended the scoreless streak for the Little Giants by hitting a three-point shot as part of his 13-point effort. A pair of free throws from Chadd got Wabash as close as nine points before Marietta responded by stretching the lead to 16 points before settling for a 53-40 lead at the half.

That lead held at double digits before Avery Beaver drilled a three-point shot to cut the score to 60-53. A pair of Schreiber free throws with 14 minutes left on the clock got Wabash to within four points. Marietta regained an eight-point lead before the Little Giants stormed back with a 13-7 run to trim the advantage to two points at 73-71 midway through the final period.

Tyler Watson hit his only three-point shot with 8:35 left to play to give Wabash the lead at 76-75. Watson was held to five points but grabbed a game-best 12 rebounds and tied his single-game best mark with seven assists. The Pioneers pushed back in front but Jones hit two free throws then scored a fastbreak layup with 5:12 remaining to put Wabash up 83-82. 

Marietta regained the lead on a layup by Tim Kreeger, but Jones answered for the Little Giants with a three-point basket to provide an 86-84 lead. Lukas Isaly, who led the Pioneers with 22 points, responded with a three-pointer of his own to put Marietta back in front. The Pioneers stretched the advantage to seven points with 47 seconds on the game clock. The Little Giants drew as close as four points on free throws from Jones and Watson, but Marietta connected on three of its final four free throws to claim the 99-92 victory. 

Wabash shot 33-of-68 from the field for 48.5 percent. The Little Giants hit just 8 of 29 three-point attempts for 27.6 percent, including a 5-for-21 effort in the second half. Marietta hit 37-of-68 shots from the field (54.4 percent) and finished 5-of-18 from three-point range (27.8 percent). Kreeger scored 18 points for the Pioneers. Mason Lydic added 13 points and Jason Ellis and Brett Martin each chipped in 10 points. 

The Little Giants conclude play at the 2021 Great Lakes Invitational when they take on 13th-ranked Emory University Saturday at 5:30 p.m. The Eagles (1-1) lost to number-one ranked Randolph-Macon College 88-74 on Friday. 

Wabash was announced as the host institution for the 2022 Great Lakes Invitational at halftime of Friday night's game. The eight-team event will be played November 18-19 at Chadwick Court.