Marshall honed in on its defense throughout the game, ultimately building a quick double-digit lead by limiting the Trojans’ offensive opportunities with forcing continuous turnovers. The Tigers led by 11 points at halftime, and forced 30 turnovers with the help of 13 steals.

“When we play good defense, it leads to our offense,” Andrew Lee, who led Marshall with 14 points, said. “If we have good defense, we keep our guy in front of us, don’t foul … We just played as a team.”

Levi Maeyaert shot 3 of 4 from deep for 11 points while Davion Xayarath also logged 11 points with his trio of steals. JR Vierstraete shared a team-high three steals to his 6 points. Oliver Voigt finished with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Eight different Tigers scored in the game.

“It just shows that we are a big family,” Xayarath said. “We want everyone to play, we want everyone to get equal opportunities. We are a family before we are a team.”

Marshall's Levi Maeyaert facilitates the offense in the first half against Worthington Tuesday night.

Marshall entered Tuesday coming off three consecutive losses that came by 10 points each, as the Tigers have worked through a tougher stretch in their regular season schedule.

Of its last six games, four of Marshall’s recent matchups were up against state-ranked opponents, including two of the last three.

“It was the matter of the fact that we came in [tonight] off a losing streak, and we just wanted it more [tonight],” Xayarath said. “We had to show that we are still the better team.”

Although Worthington got off to a 5-2 jump to open the night, with Oliver Voigt scoring first for the Tigers with a midrange pullup, Lee quickly brought Marshall within a point after hitting a layup off an inbound play.

A Patrick Morman steal led to a jumpshot for Noah Pieper to give the Tigers a 6-5 lead, which they never lost sight of the rest of the night.

Marshall's Davion Xayarath pulls up for a shot in the first half against Worthington Tuesday night.

Xayarath pump faked and drove the lane and followed that up with a 3-pointer to spark a Marshall run and an 11-5 lead.

Both the Tigers and Trojans started in man coverage, and switched to a zone defense later in the half. Both switched back to man in the second half.

Marshall got a majority of its early points by finding a baseline cutter after dribbling in toward the elbow. The Tigers also dialed up their defense with a full-court press to force a handful of Worthington turnovers.

Several different players got touches, just as Vierstraete and Lee took the ball up on a fast break 2-on-1 resulting in a Lee layup and a Tigers’ 17-5 lead.

The Trojans, however, embarked on a 13-6 run to cut into a 23-18 deficit midway through the half after Marshall missed a string of consecutive baskets.

Marshall's Noah Pieper closes in towards the basket in the first half against Worthington Tuesday night.

Yet, a Maeyaert 3-pointer out of a timeout halted the run as a spin-around move in the lane from Vierstraete put Marshall back ahead by 10, 28-18 with just under three minutes to go in the half.

After Worthington again brought the score within 6 points, 28-22, Maeyaert hit another 3 from the top of the key in the final minute of the half, as Lee cleaned up a shot with an offensive rebound followed up with a Morman layup to send the Tigers to the locker room with a 35-24 edge.

Lee led Marshall with 8 first-half points, while Maeyaert followed with 6.

“It was just to play defense,” Lee said regarding his mindset throughout the night. “I was just lucky enough to be at the top of the press, so my teammates found me and [we were] running in transition.”

Marshall put its foot on the gas heavier and opened the second half on an 18-6 run to build a quick 53-30 lead, continuing its defensive pressure that flustered the Trojans and led to a handful more scoring opportunities.

“We didn’t come out very well in the second half last game, so we really had to do it this game,” Lee said.

Voigt got the run and half started with back-to-back baskets, while Lee continued a hot-hand of his own with a layup.

Maeyaert nailed his third 3-pointer of the night, while Brody Riess grabbed a steal that led to a Maeyaert fastbreak layup for the Tigers’ 23-point lead.

“Don’t cruise, just keep eating,” Xayarath said regarding how Marshall maintained its lead. “Keep eating, just be hungry.”

The Tigers controlled the tempo and pace the rest of the way, cruising to victory. Marshall head coach Travis Carroll also put in his reserves to get some playing time later in the half.

“We’re got really good depth, pretty good in the section. That’s one of our advantages in every game,” Lee said. “We can just bring people in, they’ll do their job every time.”

Marshall finished the night shooting 44% from the field and held Worthington to a 37% mark.

The Tigers even their record up to 7-7 overall, and will look to break above .500 when they host another ranked team in No. 8 Willmar (10-2) on Thursday. The Cardinals started their season winning their first 10 games in a row, but most recently suffered a pair of back-to-back losses to Sartell-St.Stephen and Little Falls.

Thursday’s tip off is slated for 7:15 p.m.