BABSON PARK, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's basketball team survived two overtimes in Babson Park on Thursday night, escaping with a 101-97 victory over the Webber International University Warriors. The game marked the first double overtime game for the Gyrenes since a 68-63 loss to Southeastern on January 15, 2015, and was the program's first ever win in a game with multiple overtimes. The victory moved the Gyrenes to 6-4 in Sun Conference play.

Webber International started hot on Thursday night, jumping out to a 16-9 lead in the opening ten minutes of the contest. Despite trimming the Webber lead to one with six straight points, the Gyrenes weren't able to take the lead until a Leo Behrend layup gave the Gyrenes a 24-23 edge with 6:35 to play. Ave Maria built their lead as large as six points, and held a 34-32 lead entering the halftime break.

After Ave Maria stretched their lead to nine points early in the second half, Webber rallied, and the final eleven minutes were played without the lead swinging to more than four points on either side. In the final minute, Ave Maria led by three points after a Gianpaolo Riccio layup and two free throws from Leo Behrend. A layup from Chetachukwu Oliver and a free throw from Austin Evans tied the game for the Warriors with seven seconds left, and AMU's final try of regulation would not find its mark.

In overtime, the Gyrenes grabbed a four-point lead, 85-81, with 58 seconds left after a dunk by Behrend. Webber answered with a dunk of their own with 40 seconds left, and got a steal and a layup from Rasheem Etienne with 28 seconds on the clock to tie the game. The Gyrenes had two attempts to win the game in the final ten seconds, but neither a Riccio layup or a Nemanja Brankov three-pointer would fall.

Caelen Watts proved to be the hero for the Gyrenes in double overtime. Trailing by one with under a minute to play, Watts buried a three-pointer with 39 seconds left to give AMU a 97-95 lead. After a Tommie Luke layup tied the game again with 31 seconds remaining, Watts attacked the basket for a layup with nine seconds left for what proved to be the game-winner. AMU forced a Webber turnover, Behrend hit one of two free throws, and Webber's desperation heave missed to seal the win for the Gyrenes. 

Behrend, who scored 40 points in Ave Maria's first victory over the Warriors, poured in 36 in Thursday night's win. His performance makes him only the second player in AMU history to score 35 points or more on two seperate occasions, and the first to do in twice in conference play. Riccio added 24 points of his own, while Jeff Steel, Watts, and Brankov were also in double figures. Webber was led by 17 points from Etienne.

The Gyrenes host Warner University on Saturday afternoon at the Tom Golisano Field House, with tipoff scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Warner enters the game 9-1 in Sun Conference play, and moved into a tie for first place in the conference with a blowout victory over Southeastern on Thursday night.