THOMASVILLE, Ga.- The Ave Maria University men's basketball team pulled away in the second half to topple the Night Hawks of Thomas University, 75-56, on the road. Thomas entered the game receiving votes in the most recent NAIA Coaches' Poll, and the Gyrenes moved within a half game of the Night Hawks for fifth place in The Sun Conference standings.

The Gyrenes started fast, building an eleven-point lead in the opening 12 minutes of the contest. Ave Maria scored 12 unanswered points in the middle of the first half, turning an 8-7 deficit into a 19-8 lead. Thomas rallied within one point with 3:33 to play in the opening frame, but the Gyrenes were able to maintain the lead and take a 31-26 edge into the halftime break. 

In the first half, Ave Maria was powered by Romello Bates and Jovan Grujicic, who scored 20 of the team's 31 points - eleven from Bates and nine from Grujicic. Thomas shot the better percentage from the field and held an advantage on the boards, but a 15-3 edge from three-point territory and a 8-5 lead in the turnover category buoyed the Gyrenes.

Ave Maria came alive in the second half, shooting 57.1 percent from the field to outscore the host Night Hawks, 44-30. The key run of the game came after Thomas took the lead, 45-44, on a layup from Cedric Wright with 14:17 on the clock. Over the next ten minutes, the Gyrenes outscored the Night Hawks 21-3, taking a 65-48 lead with 4:23 to play and allowing AMU to cruise to the win.

Five different Gyrenes knocked down three-pointers in the second half, led by a pair of makes from Caelen Watts and one from four other AMU players. The Gyrenes made 16 of their 28 shots in the second half, and converted on all six of their free throws while holding Thomas to 27.3 percent shooting from three-point range.

Bates led a balenced effort for the Gyrenes, nearly recording a double-double with 23 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Grujicic added 12 points, and Leo Behrend chipped in eleven. Cedric Wright was the leading scorer for the Night Hawks, recording 14 points.

The Gyrenes finish off their first trip through The Sun Conference schedule this week with matchups against Florida Memorial and St. Thomas. The week begins Thursday, as the Florida Memorial Lions come to the Tom Golisano Field House for a 7:30 p.m. tip.