SUMTER, S.C.- The Ave Maria University women's basketball team stayed undefeated on the 2019-20 season on Tuesday night with a 69-46 victory over Morris College at the Garrick-Boykin Human Development Center in South Carolina. The Gyrenes led for 39 of the game's 40 minutes, and forced 23 Morris turnovers in the first ever meeting between the teams. 

After Morris scored the first three points of the game in the opening minute, the Gyrenes proceeded to score 14 unanswered points to take the lead for good. Sarah Miller scored six of AMU's points in the run with three layups, while Taylor Allen knocked down a three-pointer and a free throw. The run helped Ave Maria claim a 25-7 lead after the opening ten minutes.

Ave Maria's lead increased in the second quarter, which saw the Gyrenes open up a 44-17 halftime lead. The second quarter contained another run for AMU, who scored 13 consecutive points to increase a 15-point lead to 28. Syanne Rowe was the dominant force during that run, scoring nine points on four layups, which included an and-one.

Although the Hornets outscored the Gyrenes 29-25 in the second half, the Ave Maria lead never dipped below 18 points. Ave shot better than 40 percent from the field in the closing 20 minutes, and the two teams combined to hit just one three-pointer, which was supplied by Macarena Corral in the final 90 seconds of the contest.

The defensive effort of the Gyrenes forced 23 turnovers on the night, which turned into 20 points. Morris made just one of their seven three-point attempts on the night, and shot just 32.1 percent from the field. Conversely, Ave Maria shot 50 percent from the field, including a mark better than 53 percent in the first half.

Miller and Rowe controlled the game in the paint for the Gyrenes, as each forward scored 16 points. Miller was in triple-double territory with eight rebounds and seven steals, while Rowe made seven of her nine field goal attempts. The other Gyrene in double figures was senior Amanda Kasprzak, who made three two-pointers, two free throws and a three-pointer en route to eleven points.

AMU's trip around the Southeast continues on Thursday night with their second game in the Palmetto State. The Gyrenes will head to the Dawson Health and Human Resources Center in Denmark, South Carolina for a meeting with Voorhees College. Tipoff on Halloween Night is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.