MARION, Ind. (Box Score) -- After a sluggish start on Tuesday night the No. 7-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University men's basketball team rarely missed in a 72-56 victory over visiting University of Saint Francis (Ind.) in Luckey Arena.

The Wildcats opened the game making only 3 of their first 13 shot attempts (23.1-percent) in the opening nine minutes of action. Indiana Wesleyan was able to adjust and connected on 25 of their final 40 field goal attempts (62.5-percent) to put the Cougars away.

The slow start gave Saint Francis an early 17-7 cushion. But Indiana Wesleyan exploded with 12 unanswered points in a three minute span to quickly turn the deficit into a 19-17 advantage.

Over the next two minutes of play the contest featured two ties and two lead changes, the final one coming at 5:03 in the half with a turn around jumper from IWU senior forward Landon Adler for a 25-24 Wildcat lead. Adler finished with his 11th double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 boards.

Indiana Wesleyan did not relinquish the lead and went into halftime up 33-28.

Saint Francis (16-11, 8-5 MCC) trimmed the deficit to 35-32 early in the second half. However, Indiana Wesleyan was able to increase the lead to 45-34 compliments of a 10-2 spurt.

Indiana Wesleyan built 16 point leads on two occasions with less than 10 minutes to go in the game. Saint Francis was able to cut the IWU lead to nine points with 3:48 left, but the Wildcats held the Cougars scoreless the rest of the way for the 72-56 win.

The Wildcats have now won their third straight game with starting point guard Spencer Harris on the bench due to injury. His backup, freshman guard Derrick Troyer, filled in tonight with 11 points and five assists.

IWU senior guard Antonio Murrell led the team with 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting and junior forward Zach Coverstone chipped in with 12 points and eight boards.

Former Wildcat DeJovaun Sawyer-Davis contributed a double-double for the Cougars with 23 points and 10 rebounds. The Mid-Central College Conference's second leading scorer was held to just four points in the opening period.

Indiana Wesleyan shot a team-total of 52.8-percent (28 of 53) from the field and were 6-of-12 (50.0-percent) from deep. Saint Francis was held to 40.0-percent (22 of 55) on the night.

Indiana Wesleyan (22-5, 10-3 MCC) prepares for their final regular season road contest of the year as the Wildcats travel to play Marian (Ind.) College at 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 14 in Indianapolis, Indiana.