AVE MARIA, Fla. --- The Ave Maria University men's basketball team lost a heartbreaker on Saturday evening, falling 86-84 in overtime to the ninth-ranked Warner University Royals. Warner's Warren Hall hit a jumper with under one second to go to down the Gyrenes.
 
Facing a nationally ranked squad, the Gyrenes trailed by just two at halftime, despite shooting 3-of-16 from beyond the three-point arc. Ave Maria outrebounded the Royals, both in the first half, and for the entire game, despite giving up size at nearly every position on the floor. Ave grabbed 13 offensive rebounds, and held a total 50-41 edge on the glass.
 
Ave Maria electrified the Tom Golisano Field House crowd in the first 12 minutes of the second half, storming out to a 12-point lead with 8:13 to go. The lead was capped by a 9-0 run in less than two minutes. Warner then rallied for a 12-0 run of their own, tying the game with 3:27 on the clock.
 
The teams traded the lead four times until the final minute, which saw Warner hold a 74-72 lead. With 37 seconds remaining, Malik Mayeux hit a free throw, and an ensuing technical foul was called on Warner for calling a non-existent time out. Exor Torres hit his lone free throw to tie the game, and neither team could score on a possession in the final 10 seconds, sending the game to overtime.
 
Warner led for much of overtime, but the lead for either team never exceeded four points. Trailing by three with 24 seconds left, Deonte' Dixon hit the last of his seven threes, tying the game. Warner held for what proved to be the final shot, leading to Hall's game-winner.
 
Powered by his seven triples, Dixon led all scorers with 32 points. Dixon also pulled down seven rebounds. Three other Gyrenes were in double or triple-double territory. Romello Bates scored 18 points, pulled down nine rebounds, and dished out nine assists. Malik Mayeux had nine points and eight rebounds, while Tejai Allen scored nine and recorded 14 rebounds.
 
Josh Ellis scored 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting, while Hall added 21 of his own. Hall was held nearly 20 points below his season average to date, and the Ave Maria defense limited him to 6-of-23 shooting.
 
The overtime contest is Ave Maria's last Sun Conference affair of 2016, with each of the next seven games coming out of conference. The Gyrenes are at home Saturday against the Tigers of Trinity College, with tip-off set for 3:00 p.m. It is one of three home games for AMU before Christmas.