TEMPLE TERRACE, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's basketball team nearly erased a 22-point first half deficit on Tuesday night, but could not come all the way back in a 81-68 loss to the Florida College Falcons in Temple Terrace. Against a team that received votes in the most recent NAIA Coaches' Poll, the Gyrenes got within one in the second half, but saw the Falcons pull away in the closing minutes.

The game started well enough for the Gyrenes, who took an early 4-0 lead in the opening 70 seconds. For the first four minutes or so, the teams traded buckets, with 24 points scored in the first 4:06. With the score tied at 12, Florida College went on a 19-3 run, and eventually outscoring the Gyrenes 32-10 over a span of 12 and a half minutes. Ave Maria was able to cut into that deficit before the half, but still trailed by a score of 49-32. 

Florida College's first half surge was powered from long distance, as the Falcons shot better than 50 percent from three-point territory. FC made eleven of their 21 three-point attempts, and actually shot better from deep (52.4 percent) than from the field (50 percent). Ave Maria shot the ball at at 40.6 percent clip, but were hurt by 13 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.

Ave Maria roared back in the second half, outscoring Florida College 30-14 over the first ten and a half minutes to get within one point, 63-62, on a jumper from Klajd Kiri. The Falcons responded with a 14-0 run over the next four minutes, pushing the lead back to a comfortable 15 points. Ave Maria never again got within nine points as Florida College was able to hold on for the win. 

Despite cooling off a bit in the second half, Florida College's three-point shooting proved to be the difference on Tuesday night. The Falcons made 17 three-pointers, outscoring the Gyrenes 51-30 from long distance. Both teams shot the ball well, with Florida College at 50 percent from the field and Ave Maria at 42.2 percent. AMU was also hurt by 21 turnovers on the night. 

Eric Klekas was AMU's top scorer on the night, making four three-pointers in a 22-point performance. Four of Ave Maria's five starters were in double figures, with Daryl Lewis scoring 15 points and Chayse Culpepper adding 12. Matt Gillis rounded out the quartet with eleven points.

AMU now travels to Kingsport, Tennessee to play in "The Show," an annual event with top NAIA teams in attendance. In Tennessee, the Gyrenes will play a pair of teams from the Hoosier State in IU East and Oakland City. The first game, against the Red Wolves of Indiana University East is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.