MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's basketball team dropped a back-and-forth affair on Saturday afternoon, losing 81-73 in overtime to the Bobcats of St. Thomas University. The Gyrenes are now 7-6 in conference play, and hold a one-game lead over Florida Memorial and St. Thomas for fifth place in the league standings.
Ave Maria got off to a solid start, building what would prove to be their biggest lead of the game in the first quarter. AMU went on an 11-3 run during the opening ten minutes, turning a 4-3 run into a 14-7 lead. The run was capped off by a Hunter Chambers three-pointer. The Gyrenes also held a 16-9 lead with 2:06 left before a Keaubree Edwards jumper pulled St. Thomas within five at the end of the quarter.
St. Thomas started the second quarter on a 10-2 run, taking a 21-18 lead less than two minutes into the frame. Ave Maria battled back to build their lead back to five points, but the Bobcats scored five points of their own in the final minute of the half to tie the game. The Bobcats got a layup from Keiana Brooks and a three-pointer from Samara Auguste, sending the teams to the locker room with the score tied at 36.
A majority of the third quarter was played with the lead at three points or less for either side. It was St. Thomas that finished strong in the quarter, as the Bobcats led for the final four minutes of the quarter. STU's lead grew to five points at its largest, and stood at 51-48 heading into the fourth quarter.
AMU took the lead back with 7:29 to play in the fourth, thanks to a 7-0 run that culminated on a layup from Sarah Miller. The Gyrenes did not give the lead back until the 1:13 mark, when two free throws by Brooks gave the Bobcats a 67-65 lead. After getting a stop, Ave Maria tied the game on a Miller layup with 31 seconds left. The Gyrenes got another stop to send the game into overtime.
The game remained close for the majority of overtime, with St. Thomas holding a two-point lead with 1:34 left. From there, the Bobcats scored six unanswered points on four free throws and a Brooks jumper. The Gyrenes missed their last three shots as the Bobcats finished off the home win.
Miller had one of the best individual performances of her season on Saturday, scoring 31 points and pulling down 18 rebounds. Miller's 31 points was her career high in a conference game, and tied a program record for points in a conference game. The senior also set a school record for field goals made in a game (14), and ranked third in school history with 24 field goal attempts.
After two consecutive road games, the Gyrenes return home on Thursday night for a meeting with the Warriors of Webber International University. Ave Maria will go for the series sweep following a 63-50 win in Babson Park on December 7. Tipoff at the Tom Golisano Field Hoise is set for 5:30 p.m.
