Box Score FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's basketball team fell victim to a cold shooting night on Saturday, and lost to Dakota Wesleyan, 78-56, at the Cruzin' Classic in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Dakota Wesleyan entered the contest as the No. 7 team in the NAIA Division II Coaches' Poll, while the Gyrenes are ranked eleventh.

The first nine minutes of the contest were dominated by the Gyrenes, who raced out to a 17-9 lead. Ave Maria surrendered just three field goals in the first 9:40 of the game to take the early lead. However, DWU controlled the back half of the opening 20 minutes, which included a 16-6 run to close the half. Dakota Wesleyan turned a four-point Gyrene lead with 5:47 left in the frame into a score of 40-34 entering halftime.

Dakota Wesleyan shot 52 percent from the field in the first half, and made 13 of their 14 free throw attempts to lead at the half. Nick Harden led the way with 12 points, while Tyson Smiley scored nine. For Ave Maria, the Gyrenes knocked down three of nine three-pointers in the opening frame, and shot 41.4 percent from the field. Fernando Salsamendi was AMU's leading scorer in the first 20 minutes with ten points.

In the second half, Dakota Wesleyan pulled away from the Gyrenes, as the Tigers shot 57.1 percent to just 28 percent for Ave Maria. AMU got no closer than five points in the second half, while Dakota Wesleyan led by at least ten for the final 15:50, and led by as many as 30 late in the contest. AMU was especially cold from three-point territory, as the nation's number nine three-point shooting team made just one shot on ten attempts from long distance.

The Gyrenes shot just 21.1 percent from three-point territory on the night, making only four of their 19 attempts. Dakota Wesleyan also held a 37-30 edge in the rebounding category, and shot 54.7 percent from the field. Ave Maria, who is ranked in the top ten in the nation in free throw percentage, missed eight free throws on the night, their second highest total of the season.

Harden scored 18 of his game-high 30 points in the second half to lead the Tigers to the win in the nationally-ranked contest. Smiley and Ty Hoglund were also in double figures for Dakota Wesleyan. Salsamendi was the leading scorer for the Gyrenes, scoring 15 points. The only other Ave Maria player in double figures was Jose Sanchez, who scored eleven.

Ave Maria, who now sports an 11-4 record, will break for the Christmas holiday before returning to action on January 4. The Gyrenes will host St. Thomas University as part of a men's and women's doubleheader. The women's game will start the action at 2 p.m., with the men's game following no earlier than 4:00 at the Tom Golisano Field House.