BABSON PARK, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's basketball team responded to their most lopsided loss of the season in a big way on Saturday, finishing off a regular season sweep of the Webber International University Warriors with a 75-66 win in Babson Park. The win moved AMU alone into third place in The Sun Conference with six games left in the league schedule.

The teams were evenly matched for much of the first half, but a late run allowed the Gyrenes to pull ahead entering the halftime break. The largest lead in the first 18 minutes was six points, an 18-12 lead for Ave Maria. Webber pulled even at 25-25 with 2:28 to play, but the Gyrenes ended the half on an 8-0 run, keyed by a three-pointer from Eric Klekas and layups from Daryl Lewis and Chayse Culpepper, that gave AMU a 33-25 lead at the break. 

That 8-0 run continued into the first minutes of the second half, as the Gyrenes scored, forced a turnover, and scored again to push the lead to 12. In total, the Gyrenes went on a 21-4 run over a span of 5:38, stretching their lead to 17 points with 16:50 remaining. Webber would not go away on their home floor, and eventually went on a 13-0 run to cut the Gyrene lead to 63-59 with 2:51 remaining.

Webber and Ave Maria twice traded scores, keeping the AMU lead at four, 67-63, with 1:36 on the clock. Webber would block the ensuing Gyrene shot and have a chance to make it a one possession game, but the Gyrenes would collect a missed WIU three-pointer, and Culpepper made two free throws with 31 seconds left to push the lead to six. That was as close as Webber would get, as Ave Maria made six more free throws in the final 30 seconds to ice the game.

One of Ave Maria's main statistical advantages came in the transition game. Although the teams had similar turnover numbers - 13 for Webber and 11 for Ave Maria - the Gyrenes turned those 13 Webber turnovers into 18 points, while Ave Maria's eleven turnovers yielded just five points for the Warriors. The Gyrenes also converted well from the charity stripe, making 15 of 19 free throw attempts.

Daryl Lewis led a quartet of Gyrenes in double figures, narrowly missing out on a double-double with 19 points and nine rebounds. Eric Klekas and Chayse Culpepper followed up with 14 points each, and Jose Sanchez, who got his first start of the season on Saturday, added an efficient ten points on four of six shooting. 

Following the crucial win on Saturday, the Gyrenes prepare for a pair of home games this coming week. Ave Maria will host Coastal Georgia on Thursday and Thomas University on Saturday, and will search for regular season sweeps of both schools after winning both during their Georgia trip in November. Tipoff on Thursday is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Donahue Gym in Ave Maria.