NORTH MIAMI, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's basketball team won for the sixth time in their last seven contests, breezing past Johnson and Wales University 68-52 at the Wildcat Center in North Miami. With the win, the Gyrenes swept the season series from the Wildcats for the second year in a row, and moved within one game of first place in The Sun Conference.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair, as neither the Gyrenes or the Wildcats led by more than six points. AMU led by as many as five points during the opening 20 minutes, while JWU had the biggest lead of the half at six points. Ave Maria finished the first half strong, scoring ten unanswered points to take the lead into the break. Ave Maria's defense did not allow a made basket from the Wildcats in the final four minutes of the half, which included eight missed shots.
Leo Behrend was responsible for 40 percent of Ave Maria's points in the first half, scoring 14 of AMU's 35. Jovan Grujicic was the most efficient player on the floor for the Gyrenes, scoring seven points on just two shots while pulling down six rebounds and dishing out three assists. Tyler Poindexter and Tristan Stephens scored 20 of Johnson and Wales' 31 points in the first half, as each player scorer ten points.
In the second half, Ave Maria's defense locked down Johnson and Wales to the tune of 21 points on 24 shots. An 11-0 run early in the second half expanded the AMU lead to 12 points early in the half, and the Gyrenes were fully in control from that point on. Marcus Montalvo was the leader of the Ave Maria attack offensively, as the freshman point guard made three of his four three-point attempts in the final 20 minutes, which was equal to JWU's three-point total in the second half as a team.
Yet again, the Gyrenes controlled the three-point line, holding an opponent to under 20 percent from long distance for the ninth time this season. Following JWU's 4-for-26 effort, the Gyrenes became the national leader - including all teams at all NCAA, NAIA, USCAA, and NJCAA levels - in opposing three-point percentage at 24.8 percent. Conversely, the Gyrenes made nine three-pointers in the victory.
Ave Maria's leading scorer in the win was Behrend, who posted a double-double with 18 points and ten rebounds. Montalvo added 15 points, and Jeffrey Steel chipped in with ten points. Grujicic stuffed the stat sheet as well, logging nine points, eight rebounds, and three assists. JWU was paced by Poindexter, who scored a game-high 21 points.
With two games to play in the regular season, the Gyrenes are in control of their own destiny for a share of The Sun Conference regular season championship. Wins over No. 6 Keiser and No. 21 Southeastern would ensure the Gyrenes share the conference title, with Keiser coming first on Saturday. AMU will honor their senior class pregame, with opening tip scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Tom Golisano Field House.
