AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's basketball team won a thriller on Monday night, earning their second victory of the season over the Keiser University Seahawks, 88-85 in overtime, at the Rhodora J. Donahue Academy. After losing 22 consecutive games to the Seahawks entering the season, the Gyrenes have now clinched the 2020-21 season series over Keiser. In the process, Ave Maria moved back into second place in The Sun Conference with a 6-4 league record. Additionally, it was the fourth consecutive AMU game decided by three points or less.

Ave Maria jumped out to a 10-point lead in the first seven minutes of the game, and either led or were tied until the 3:36 mark of the half. Keiser took their first lead at that point, thanks to a three-pointer from Marko Radulovic. The teams traded jumpers to close the half, allowing the Seahawks to take a 33-30 lead into the halftime break. 

Keiser's first half lead was powered by seven three-pointers, as the Seahawks shot better from beyond the arc (7 for 16) than inside it (5 for 16). Ave Maria was led by Matt Gillis in the opening 20 minutes, as the sophomore scored eleven points on six shots.

The Gyrenes scored the first ten points of the second half, taking a seven-point lead and setting the stage for a dramatic second half. The lead traded hands seven times in the final ten minutes, with neither team leading by more than five points. Keiser took a 72-70 lead on a layup from Quinton Glaspie with 1:25 to go, and Eric Klekas answered with two free throws with 1:10 on the clock. The next three possessions - two for Keiser and one for Ave Maria - came up empty - and the game moved to overtime even at 72.

In overtime, neither team led by more than four points, and the game was tied at 80 with two minutes to go. Chayse Culpepper gave the Gyrenes the lead for good with a layup with 1:40 to go, and Fernando Salsamendi extended the lead to four, 84-80, with 44 seconds left. Keiser cut the lead back to one with 23 seconds left, but Eric Klekas made two free throws to extend the lead back to three with 17 seconds on the clock. After Keiser elected to take the layup and get back within one, Klekas made two more free throws. On Keiser's final trip, CoreVon Lott missed a layup, and Matt Gillis secured the rebound to end it.

Salsamendi was phenomenal for the Gyrenes, scoring a career-high 35 points. 20 of those 35 points came in the second half, and nine more came in overtime. The senior also posted a double-double with eleven rebounds. Klekas followed with 13 points, while Gillis chipped in 13 points and eight rebounds. Keiser was led by 27 points from Lott.

AMU, who now stands alone in second place in the ultra-competitive Sun Conference, returns to the floor on Saturday afternoon against the Lions of Florida Memorial University. The Gyrenes knocked off FMU in Ave Maria on November 18, claiming an 88-82 win in their second conference game of the season. Tipoff in Miami Gardens is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.