AVE MARIA, Fla. --- The Ave Maria women's basketball team improved to 7-0 on the season after a 60-52 win over the visiting Florida National Conquistadors on Tuesday night. Sarah Miller and Danielle Weinmann each tallied double-doubles in the win.
 
Miller finished with a season-best 20 points to go along with a game-high 15 rebounds. Weinmann had 14 points and a career-best 12 rebounds. Weinmann also had a team-best five steals.
 
As a team, Ave Maria shot 37.5 percent from the field and converted 4-of-15 from behind the arc. The Gyrenes were 14-of-25 from the free throw line. Florida National made 40 percent of their field goals and five threes.
 
Ave Maria was tested for the first time at home this season against FNU. A back-and-forth start to the game saw the game tied three times in the opening minutes. After FNU took the lead, 9-7, Taylor Allen hit a three followed by a Miller layup to put AMU in front 12-9. Three made free throws in the final minute of the first quarter by Weinmann gave the Gyrenes a five-point advantage, 19-14.
 
The Blue and Green outscored the Conquistadors 12-7 in the second quarter to take a 31-21 lead into the half. Four straight points by Syanne Rowe in the middle of the second quarter gave AMU its largest lead of the first half, 29-16. Ave Maria was held without a field goal over the final five minutes of the first half.
 
The Gyrenes quickly extended their lead to 14 in the second after baskets by Rowe, Miller and Weinmann. FNU kept the game within reach and cut the Gyrene lead to single-digits, 42-33, heading to the fourth.
 
After a basket by Florida National to start the fourth, Miller made a layup and Taylor Allen hit a three to push the AMU advantage back out to 12. The Gyrene led by as many as 16 in the fourth and maintained a double-digit lead for most of the fourth quarter. A layup by FNU cut the lead to eight with 13 seconds to play.
 
Ave Maria held a 16-14 edge in points off turnovers and a 10-9 advantage in bench points. The teams were even in points in the paint with 30 each. The Gyrenes finished with a 17-9 edge in second chance points.
 
The Gyrenes open Sun Conference play on Saturday at home against Florida Memorial. The game will begin at 2 p.m. and is the first game of a men's and women's basketball doubleheader.
 
Fans are encouraged to wear white for both the men's and women's games on Saturday.
 
AMU will also be collecting non-perishable food items. Students who donate food items will receive a raffle ticket and can win a prize at halftime of each game. Non-students who bring non-perishable food items will receive $2 off on their ticket.