GAINESVILLE, Ga. --- Trailing 40-36 at the half, the Ave Maria women's basketball team outscored Brenau 33-24 over the final two quarter to defeat the Golden Tigers 69-63.
 
Annie Artise led four Lady Gyrenes' who scored in double-figures with 25 points. She also added a team-high eight rebounds. Lauren Gillingham tallied 13 points and five rebounds. Yvanessa Vincent and Jasmine Bateman each recorded 10 points for AMU.
 
The Lady Gyrenes shot 39.3 percent from the field and made 21-of-27 from the free throw line. The Blue and Green made 4-of-13 from behind the arc. Brenau shot 37 percent from the floor and 46.2 percent from three (6-of-13). The Golden Tigers made 17-of-24 from the charity stripe.
 
Ave held a 25-14 advantage on Brenau in points off turnovers and had 12 second chance points compared to just two by the Golden Tigers.
 
After the teams exchanged early baskets, a jumper by Bateman put AMU in front early, 6-5. A few minutes later, back-to-back baskets by Gillingham and Andrea Mauger broke a 15-15 tie to give AMU a four point edge. Bateman ended the quarter with a pair of free throws to give Ave its largest lead of the quarter, 25-18.
 
AMU got off to a rough start in the second quarter, missing their first five shots from the field and turning the ball over five times over the first six minutes of the stanza which allowed Brenau to retake the lead 28-27. With 2:57 remaining in the half, Artise hit a three to break a 31-31 tie. Brenau ended the half on a 9-2 run to take a 40-36 advantage into the break.
 
The Lady Gyrenes came out firing in the second half and quickly took a 41-40 lead on back-to-back baskets by Artise less than a minute into the quarter. A few minutes later, a jumper by Gillingham increased the AMU lead to six, 47-41. Brenau wouldn't go away and responded with an 8-0 run to take a 49-47 advantage. The teams exchanged free throws for the rest of the quarter before a layup by Artise gave AMU a three point edge heading to the fourth quarter.
 
With 4:31 remaining in the fourth, AMU held a slim 58-56 lead before a three by Artise and a basket in the paint by Vincent gave the Blue and Green a seven point edge with a few minutes to play. Over the last three minutes, Ave made all six of their free throw attempts to hold off the Golden Tigers and emerge with a 69-63 victory.
 
The Lady Gyrenes return to the court on Friday night when they take on St. Catharine College at 6 p.m. The game is the first of two against the Patriots this weekend.