AVE MARIA, Fla. --- The Ave Maria men's basketball team dropped an overtime thriller on Saturday afternoon to the visiting Wildcats of Johnson & Wales, 81-77. JWU led by two at the half before AMU was able to even things up in the second half to send the game to overtime. The Wildcats outscored the Gyrenes 13-9 in the extra frame.
 
Martez Harris led AMU with 23 points. Brandon Dean hit six threes and finished with 20 points and eight rebounds. Exor Torres added 16 points and seven rebounds for the Gyrenes.
 
Ave Maria shot 49 percent from the field for the game and were 12-of-28 from three. Johnson & Wales was 33-of-65 (51 percent) from the field and made 7-of-21 from behind the arc.
 
Ricardo Suarez led five Wildcats in double-figures with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
 
It took the Gyrenes a few minutes to get going, falling behind 14-3 over the first five minutes of the game. A few minutes later, Ave Maria used an 11-2 run to take a two points lead with 7:54 remaining in the half. Johnson & Wales would go on a run of their own to take a 33-31 lead into the half.
 
The two teams went back-and-forth for the entire second half. With Ave Maria trailing 66-65, Exor Torres hit a three with just over a minute to play to put AMU in front by two. On the ensuing Johnson & Wales possession, Suarez made both free throws to tie the game at 68. Each team had a shot to win the game in the final 30 second but neither were able to convert to send the game to overtime.
 
In the extra frame, Johnson & Wales made their first three baskets to take a 74-70 lead. Trailing by two, Julian Adams knocked down a three with 58 seconds to play to give the Blue and Green a one point edge. On the next possession for JWU, Ralph Ninjr made a basket and-one to retake the lead for the Wildcats. JWU was able to convert their free throws in the final 30 seconds to escape with a win.
 
The Gyrenes return to action on Tuesday night when they take on Southeastern in Lakeland.