Unranked Marshall might have put up a good fight, but in the end Benilde St. Margaret’s showed why it is the one with the No. 2 seed next to its name and the one moving on to the semifinals.

Playing a hard-fought game against Marshall and often battling from behind, the Red Knights made shots when it mattered, trumping the Tigers 52-47.

“At this point in time you just want to advance; you don’t care whether it’s pretty or not, you just want to get past that team, and I think the kids put together a really nice second half for us to get by,” Red Knights coach Bob Lyons said.

Marshall jumped out to an 18-9 lead, but the Red Knights tied it seven minutes later on a free throw. The Tigers weren’t done, however, scoring eight uncontested points to go ahead 29-21 at halftime.

“It’s not easy sitting there on the bench coming from behind,” Lyons said. “But we’re gritty. We’re a tough team, and it’s going to take a knockout punch to keep us down. We’re going to keep coming.”

The Red Knights kept at it in the second half, coming from five down to take the lead on a pair of free throws by Khadijah Shumpert — who had 12 points in the second half —with five minutes remaining. Six lead changes followed before the Red Knights claimed the advantage for good.

MARSHALL

BENILDE-ST. MARGARET'S