BATESVILLE --- Coming off consecutive heartbreaking losses in league play, the Marion Lady Patriots set out to leave luck out of the equation on Tuesday night. Marion used a faster tempo, focused on rebounding, and maximized its possessions to outpace Batesville for a 65-54 victory at Pioneer Gymnasium. Nursing a 33-31 halftime lead, Marion forced 13 Batesville turnovers and limited the hosts to seven of 34 shooting after the break to pull away for the final margin. Marion (4-14 overall, 1-3 in the 5A East) emerged victorious behind senior Alyse Holliman's game-high 19 points and 13 rebounds, including seven offensive caroms. Falencia Selvy added eight points while Taylor Little scored six. Salice Speed, Abby Hurley, and Sophie Poole paced the Lady Pioneers (7-11, 0-4) with 16, 15, and 14 points, respectively. The defenses dominated before halftime as neither team could establish much of a consistent offensive attack. The first quarter saw Batesville bolt to a 9-4 lead following a Poole three-pointer, but Marion responded immediately with a 10-4 run, including four apiece from Little and Kiera Neal, as the visitors pulled even at 14 following the first quarter. Batesville opened the second quarter on an 8-2 run, capped by five straight from Speed, to take a 22-16 lead, but that's when Holliman scored seven straight Marion points to tie the game on a layup with 2:33 left in the first half. The Lady Pats scored 10 of the final 14 points of the second stanza to claim a 33-31 halftime lead. Marion's run featured back-to-back layups from Brianna Dyson, as well paint points from Holliman and Aaliyah Taylor. Holliman and Selvy combined to score 10 of Marion's 14 points in the third period when the Lady Pats forced eight Batesville turnovers, and the visitors opened up a 47-40 lead after three frames. Marion made half of its eight shots in the third quarter, while Batesville managed just three of 14 from the floor. The Lady Pioneers were just two of seven from three-point range in that frame. Marion took its first double-digit lead of the night on the first possession of the fourth quarter when Jhordan Johnson turned a layup into a three-point play with 7:18 remaining. Marion's largest lead was 13 on three occasions in the final frame before the Lady Pats settled for the winning 11-point bulge. Marion made the lead stand up down the stretch by connecting on seven of its eight free throw attempts, including five of six in the game's final 2:52. WHAT'S NEXT Marion continues 5A East play Friday night at home as old AAAA East rival Greene County Tech visits Fidelity Bank Arena. Tip-off of the girls game is scheduled for 6 p.m., and that contest will be broadcast live on MarionPatriots.com. 5A EAST RESULTS FROM JANUARY 17 Marion 65, Batesville 54 Paragould 53, Nettleton 46 Greene County Tech 39, Searcy 34 West Memphis 55, Valley View 39 5A EAST STANDINGS SCHOOL CONF. RECORD Paragould 4-0 W. Memphis 4-0 Greene County Tech 3-1 Nettleton 2-2 Searcy 1-3 Marion 1-3 Valley View 1-3 Batesville 0-4