AVE MARIA, Fla. --- Ave Maria and Sterling College (Kan.) combined for 40 three-pointers made on Saturday afternoon as the Warriors outlasted the Gyrenes 119-106. AMU netted 18 threes while Sterling made 22 from behind the arc.
 
Deonte Dixon was on fire from behind the arc in the opening minutes, making four from deep early to give the Gyrenes a 16-3 advantage at the 15:23 mark. As Sterling began to cut into the Gyrenes lead, Exor Torres nailed a three to keep the AMU lead in double-figures, 27-16, with 9:41 to play in the half.
 
The Warriors then went on a 13-3 run to pull within one, 30-29. With Ave Maria trailing by one, 42-41, Sterling finished the half on a 7-0 run to take a 49-41 edge into the half.
 
Sterling continued to increase its advantage in the second half and led by as many as 19, 67-49, with 15:17 to play. The Gyrenes were able to cut into the Warriors' lead behind a trio of threes by Malik Mayeux and cut it to single-digits, 70-79, with just over 11 minutes remaining.
 
After Mayeux fouled out midway through he second half, Dixon and Torres hit back-to-back threes to pull AMU within six, 78-84. Several minutes later, Dixon hit his 11th three of the game and the Gyrenes cut the deficit to three, 105-102, with 2:39 to play. Down the stretch, Sterling hit a pair of threes and was able to convert at the free throw line to fend of the Gyrenes.
 
Dixon led the Gyrnes with 39 points on 12-of-18 shooting. He was 11-of-15 from three and 4-of-6 from the free throw line. Torres also finished with over 30 points, tallying 31 points of 11-of-20 shooting including three from deep and going a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Mayeau added 22 points and seven rebounds for AMU in 30 minutes while Tejai Allen finished with 12 points and seven rebounds over 26 minutes.
 
Ave Maria shots 54.5 percent for the game from the field and 18-of-30 (60 percent) from three. AMU was 16-of-19 from the free throw line as a team. Sterling shot 62.1 percent for the game and were 22-of-34 from three.
 
Isaac Ostrosky led four scorers in double-figures for the Warriors with 35 points. He was 11-of-15 from three. He also had a team-best nine rebounds.