AVE MARIA, Fla. --- The Ave Maria University men's basketball team fell victim to the post presence of the Keiser University Seahawks on Thursday night, dropping a Sun Conference contest, 81-68, to the visiting Seahawks. Keiser used a 42-20 advantage in the paint and a 47-31 rebounding edge to top the Gyrenes in the first meeting of the season between the two schools.
 
The two teams will renew acquaintances in just nine days, when the Gyrenes head across Alligator Alley to West Palm Beach on February 11.
 
In the opening minutes of the contest, Keiser and Ave Maria played a nearly even contest, which held throughout the first half. During the game's first 14 minutes, neither team held a lead of greater than three points (Ave Maria at 5-2 and 7-4). Keiser put together the first extended spurt of the contest, going on a 12-4 run to take a 24-18 with 4:37 to play. However, the Gyrenes would answer, ending the half on a 13-6 run of their own to take a 31-30 lead into halftime. The first half contained seven ties and six lead changes.
 
Keiser scored the first five points of the second half, and did not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the game. Ave Maria got as close as 60-59 with 6:34 to play, but the Seahawks' ensuing 10-0 run put the game away. Keiser's inside game was key in the second half, as forward Deion McClenton scored 18 of his game-high 28 points in the final 20 minutes of the contest. He also had 11 rebounds in the second half, totaling 18 for the game. Keiser outscored Ave Maria 28-6 in the paint in the second half of Thursday night's contest.
 
Deonte Dixon led the Gyrenes with 27 points, and broke a pair of school records in the process. Dixon attempted 29 shots on Thursday night, breaking a nearly eight-week old record of Dixon's, which was set on December 10 against Trinity College. He also broke Ave Maria's single-season record for field goal attempts, as the junior became the first player in school history to attempt 400 shots in a season. Dixon is already the record holder in three-pointers made and attempted in both a game and a season.
 
Tejai Allen added a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. The 11 rebounds gave Allen 200 for the season, making him just the third Gyrene in school history to reach the milestone. Exor Torres and Caelen Watts were also in double figures for Ave Maria.
 
The Gyrenes return to action on Saturday for the penultimate home game of the 2016-17 season. Ave Maria welcomes Southeastern University to the Tom Golisano Field House as part of a women's and men's doubleheader. AMU knocked off the Fire in the first meeting between the teams, an 83-74 triumph for the Blue and Green in Lakeland. Tipoff in Ave Maria is set for 4:00 p.m.