AVE MARIA, Fla. --- The Ave Maria men's basketball team hits the road on Saturday when they travel to Babson Park to take on Webber International in the Gyrenes Sun Conference opener. The game is slated to start at 7 p.m.
 
Live stats and video will be provided by Webber and the links can be found on the Ave Maria athletics website.
 
The Gyrenes come into this weekend's matchup with a 5-2 overall record. AMU lost its previous game, an exhibition game at Florida Atlantic, 54-43. The Blue and Green trailed by seven, 20-13, at the half but fell behind early in the second half after FAU began the half on a 16-0 run. The Gyrenes chipped away at the Owls lead and came within eight late before FAU was able to make some free throws to close out the game.
 
AMU brings into the matchup with Webber the top-ranked defense in the NAIA. The Gyrenes rank first in the NAIA in scoring defense per game (51.3 ppg), total defensive rebounds (24.5 drpg), and opponent field goal percentage (34.3 percent).
 
Individually, Jelani Bonner ranks third in the NAIA in field goal percentage, making 69 percent of his shots from the field. Brandon Dean ranks 13th in the NAIA in three-point field goal percentage, hitting at a 52.4 clip from behind the arc.
 
Bonner enters as the Gyrenes leading scorer with 14.1 points per game followed closely by Wendell Powell who averages 12.8 points. Bonner is also the teams leading rebounded with 7.3 boards per game.
 
Webber International (0-8, 0-1 TSC) will be looking for its first win of the season when they welcome AMU to the Sabbagh Athletic Center. The Warriors played Embry-Riddle tough in the previous game, a 67-56 loss to the Eagles on Wednesday night.
 
Raymond Durant leads the Warriors in scoring through eight games this season, averaging 11.75 points per game. He also has tallied a team-leading 12 steals. Dewaine Lyals has recorded 12 blocks on the season which ranks 36th in the NAIA. His 6.63 rebounds per game average is also a team-high for the Warriors.