AVE MARIA, Fla. --- The Ave Maria men's basketball team gave ninth-ranked Dalton State (NAIA DI) all they could handle Wednesday night, falling to the visiting Roadrunners, 89-79.
 
Brandon Dean paced the Gyrenes with a career-high 26 points on 8-of-13 shooting including going 7-for-11 from behind the arc, also a career-best. Dean also grabbed nine rebounds and tallied three assists and two steals.
 
Martez Harris finished with 16 points while Nate Krimsky (15 points) and Exor Torres (12 points) also finished in double-figures for AMU. Torres added seven assists and five rebounds.
 
The Blue and Green shot 45 percent for the game and made a season-best 11 from three. Dalton State made 34-of-65 (52 percent) from the field and made eight from behind the arc. Dalton State held a 46-24 advantage in points in the paint and scored 25 points off turnovers compared to 13 by AMU.
 
Jamaine Burrey netted 17 points for Dalton State while Jordan Bowling and Jalen Robinson each finished with 16 points.
 
The Gyrenes came out firing and used a 9-0 run capped by a three by Martez Harris to take a 15-6 lead 6:22 into the game. Dalton State began to chip away at the Ave Maria lead and used a 19-2 run spanning 5:33 to take a 40-31 lead with one minute to play in the half.
 
Trailing by eight, 42-34, at the break, pulled to within four, 51-47, early in the second half on a trey by Brandon Dean. The Blue and Green kept within striking distance for the remainder of the game but weren't able to get closer than four. Leading 69-65 with 5:13 to play, Dalton State was able to make its free throws down the stretch to close out the ten point win.
 
The Blue and Green return after the New Year when they welcome the University of Pikeville to Tom Golisano Field House on Jan. 4. The game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.