LAKE WALES, Fla. - The Ave Maria University women's basketball team secured a berth in the 2021 Sun Conference Tournament on Thursday night, thanks to a 52-42 victory over the Warner University Royals in Lake Wales. The Gyrenes will play postseason basketball for the fourth consecutive year, clinching the conference tournament berth by virtue of their season sweep over the Royals.
The Gyrenes had their best offensive quarter in the opening frame, putting 17 points on the board in the first ten minutes. Neither team led by more than three points until 28 seconds remained in the quarter, when a Monica Behrend three-pointer gave the Gyrenes a 17-11 lead. A layup from Warner's Alysa Augustin with 13 seconds left concluded the first quarter's scoring, sending AMU to the second with a four point lead.
Ave Maria widened the lead in the second quarter, taking a nine point lead into the halftime break. This was powered by a 9-0 run from the Gyrenes midway through the quarter, extending a 20-19 lead to a 29-19 edge. Syanne Rowe was the key catalyst of the run, scoring six of the nine points. Rowe scored eight of AMU's 15 points in the second quarter, and the Gyrenes entered halftime with a 32-23 lead.
AMU's defense took center stage in the third quarter, as the Royals were limited to just six points. Warner made just three of their 18 field goal attempts in the third, and Ave Maria was able to build a pair of 15 point leads, 40-25 and 42-27. The Royals cut the Gyrene lead to 13 on a layup from D'Asia James with 12 seconds left, but still trailed 42-29 entering the final quarter.
Warner outscored the Gyrenes 13-10 in the fourth quarter, and cut the AMU lead down to five with 4:31 to play. With their lead in jeopardy, the Gyrenes forced a Warner turnover and Behrend knocked down a clutch three with 3:51 left to extend the lead back to eight. Warner would not score in the final four minutes of the game, and a jumper from Megan Allen with 1:56 remaining would prove to be the game's final points.
Rowe and Hunter Chambers both posted double-doubles in the victory, as Chambers posted 14 points and eleven rebounds while Rowe had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Behrend was also in double figures for the Gyrenes, scoring eleven points. Warner's D'Asia James was the game's leading scorer, adding a double-double of her own with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Dianis Hurtado also had a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds.
With a spot in the postseason secured, the Gyrenes now look to clinch the number seven seed in the conference tournament. One AMU win or one Thomas loss in the final ten days of the regular season would secure the seed. AMU's next game on the schedule comes Saturday afternoon, when the Gyrenes battle Webber International University at the Rhodora J. Donahue Academy gymnasium. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
