WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's basketball team rallied from a 17-point first half deficit to force overtime, but eventually fell 90-88 to the Keiser University Seahawks at the Countess de Hoernle Student Life Center in West Palm Beach. The Gyrenes fell to the Seahawks in The Sun Conference's Game of the Week, which matched two of the three teams in conference play with one loss or fewer.

Keiser jumped out to a 17-point lead over the Gyrenes in the first six minutes of the contest, building a 21-4 lead with 14:22 on the clock. Ave Maria was able to chip away at the Keiser lead, cutting the deficit all the way to four points late in the half. AMU was within four at two points - 38-34 with 2:08 to play, and 40-36 with 1:07 on the clock. A late three-pointer by Jermar Perkins allowed the Seahawks to take a 43-36 lead into the halftime break. 

The main advantage for the Seahawks in the first half came on the offensive glass, where Keiser grabbed 12 offensive rebounds. Keiser held a 23-13 overall advantage in rebounding in the opening 20 minutes, and were led by eleven points from Mark Gordon. 26 of Ave Maria's 36 points came from Leo Behrend and Fernando Salsamendi, who each posted 13 first half points for the visiting Gyrenes.

Ave Maria cut into the Keiser lead in the second half, and cut the Seahawk lead to one or two points on eleven different occasions. The Gyrenes did not take their first lead of the game until 23 seconds remained on the clock, when a missed three-pointer was tipped in by Salsamendi, giving AMU a 74-73 lead. Keiser tied the game with ten seconds left on a Gordon free throw, and Ave Maria was unable to connect on a game-winning three at the end of regulation, sending the game to overtime.

In overtime, Ave Maria held a four-point lead with 29 seconds left, following a three-pointer from Behrend. A three on the other end from Ryan Kroll cut the AMU lead to one with 16 seconds remaining. Ave Maria would then miss the front end of a one-and-one, and Gordon made what proved to be the game-winner on a layup with four seconds left. AMU's final two possesions of the game ended with a turnover and a missed heave from three-quarter court.

Salsamendi had the best game of his AMU career on Thursday, as the junior scored 33 points on 15-of-18 shooting. His 15 made field goals tied a school record, and the 33 points rank in the top ten in program history. Behrend logged a double-double off the bench with 24 points and eleven rebounds. Gordon was the game's leading scorer with 34 points. 

The Gyrenes remain in the top three in the Sun Conference at 5-2, and will return home on Saturday afternoon for a meeting with the Wildcats of Johnson and Wales University. Tipoff at the Tom Golisano Field House is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the women's game between the two schools.