MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. --- The Ave Maria men's basketball team overcame a halftime deficit to defeat Florida Memorial 62-58 on Saturday night. Jelani Bonner recorded a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Blue and Green.
 
Ave Maria improves to 8-9 overall and to 1-5 in Sun Conference action with the win. Florida Memorial falls to 1-13 overall and to 0-5 in TSC play.
 
Bonner finished 6-of-14 from the field en route to his 17 points. He was 5-of-6 from the free throw line. Wendell Powell recorded 12 points off the bench for the Gyrenes. Exor Torres also finished in double-figures for AMU with 10 points.
 
The Blue and Green shot 45.2 percent from the field and made 23-of-29 from the free throw line including several down the stretch to help them complete the come-from-behind win. The Gyrenes dominated in the paint, outscoring the Lions 34-22 down low.
 
The Gyrenes came out the gate slow, trailing 9-1 nearly five minutes into the game. The AMU defense then stepped up and helped the Gyrenes pull to within one, 13-12, with 9:55 to play in the opening half.  Florida Memorial maintained a single-digit lead for the rest of the half but AMU went into the break trailing by only two, 33-31.
 
Playing from behind for the opening 12 minutes of the second half, the Blue and Green were able to tie the game at 48-48 on a Powell layup. The Gyrenes took their first lead with 2:21 to play when Torres made a free throw to break a 55-55 tie.
 
The Gyrenes would give up the lead the rest of the game and made their free throws down the stretch to secure the four-point win.
 
The Blue and Green return to the court on Tuesday when they travel to West Palm Beach to take on Northwood.