MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's basketball team had one of their better defensive days of the season on Saturday afternoon, but could not convert on the offensive end in a 57-40 loss to the St. Thomas University Bobcats in Miami Gardens. AMU's 57 points allowed were the team's lowest total in nearly two months, but a 28.6 percent mark from the field sunk any chances of an upset against the Bobcats, who moved to 10-3 in Sun Conference play.

The Gyrenes were ice cold to start the game on Saturday, making just one of their eleven shots in the first quarter - a jumper by Megan Allen with 5:15 remaining in the quarter. After jumping out to an 8-0 lead in the first three and a half minutes, St. Thomas went cold as well, making only one of their last twelve shots. Only two points - a layup from STU's Brooke Bogatz, were scored in the final five minutes, giving St. Thomas a 10-2 lead.

St. Thomas widened their lead in the second quarter, as both teams picked up the pace offensively. The Bobcats outscored the Gyrenes 15-8 before halftime, which included a 6-0 run in the final 100 seconds of the half. That run, coming on three consecutive layups, allowed STU to extend their lead from 19-10 to 25-10 entering the halftime break. 

Ave Maria had their best quarter in the third, cutting St. Thomas' lead down to seven points at one junction. That seven-point lead, 34-27, ended a 17-9 stretch for the Gyrenes that encompassed the first nine minutes of the third quarter. The Bobcats scored the last four points of the quarter, however, pushing their lead back to eleven, 38-27, with ten minutes remaining.

In the fourth quarter, the Gyrenes continued to hang around, and trailed by seven, 45-38, with 5:35 left in the contest. St. Thomas, though, pulled away in the final five minutes, going on a 12-2 run to push the final margin to 17 points. AMU's offense went cold down the stretch, as AMU's final nine possessions ended with four turnovers, four missed shots, and a Taylor Allen layup.

Hunter Chambers was the top scorer on Saturday, as the senior made five three-pointers in a 19-point performance. Chambers also added ten rebounds to account for her first career double-double. St. Thomas had two players in double figures, with Gianni Domond (12 points, 11 rebounds) and Chrystal Pressley (11 points, 12 rebounds) both posting double-doubles for the Bobcats.

Six regular season games remain for the Gyrenes, who could clinch a spot in The Sun Conference Tournament next week with a victory over Warner on Thursday. First, the Gyrenes will welcome the Keiser University Seahawks to the Donahue Academy gymnasium on Monday night, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. Keiser won the opening meeting between the teams, 72-56, on December 30, and AMU will play Keiser twice in the final 13 days of the regular season.