AVE MARIA, Fla. --- Four Gyrenes finished in double figures and Martez Harris hit a jumper with four seconds to play in overtime to propel the Ave Maria men's basketball to an 81-79 win over the visiting Spring Arbor Cougars on Tuesday afternoon.
 
Trailing by as many as 10 in the second half, AMU rallied to take the lead, 53-52, with just under 13 minutes to play in regulation. Spring Arbor responded with an 11-0 run to take a 63-55 advantage with 8:14 remaining.
 
Still trailing by eight, 67-59, with 4:06 to play, Julian Adams converted on a pair of free throws and on the ensuing Gyrenes possession was able to connect on a jumper in the paint to quickly cut the deficit to four. A few minutes later, Brandon Dean made two from the charity stripe before draining a three to even the game at 69-all.
 
Down two with seven seconds remaining, Dean calmly knocked down two more from the free throw line to tie the game and send it to overtime knotted at 73.
 
In overtime, Spring Arbor made a couple quick baskets to take a four point lead. The Cougars were able to maintain that lead until 1:39 remaining when Martez Harris drove to the basket and scored to even things up at 79-79.
 
After Spring Arbor missed the front end of a one-and-one with 24 seconds remaining, Harris was able to knock down a 15-foot, fade-away jumper to win it for the Blue and Green, 81-79.
 
Adams led the Gyrenes, who shot 50 percent for the game, in scoring with 19 points. He also had five rebounds. Brandon Dean finished with 16 points, four assists and a team-high nine rebounds. Nate Krimsky flirted with a double-double with 14 points and eight rebounds.
 
Martez Harris added 18 points and four boards for the Blue and Green while Eric Richardson tallied six points, five assists and four rebounds.
 
Off the bench, Caleb Hogan led Spring Arbor in scoring with 17 points. Peter Berry (14), Zach Medendorp (11), and Greg Hamilton (11) each finished in double-figures for SAU. Thomas Starks added nine points, nine rebounds, and five assists for the Cougars.
 
Both teams shot 50 percent from the field for the game with the Gyrenes holding a 9-7 advantage in three pointers made and made 14 from the free throw line compared to four by Spring Arbor.
 
The Gyrenes return to action on Dec. 30 when they host Dalton State College at 8 p.m.