AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's basketball team dominated from start to finish on Monday night, earning a decisive win with a 93-57 victory over the Falcons of Kansas Christian College at Donahue Gym. The Gyrenes broke the school record for steals in a single game and tied the school record for field goals made, and the 93 points put on the board tied for the tenth-highest total in program history. AMU's win also extended the Gyrenes' winning streak to six games entering the Thanksgiving break. 

After several slow starts in conference games, the Gyrenes erupted early against Kansas Christian. Ave Maria scored a season-high 29 points in the first quarter, and added 28 more in the second to open up a 57-20 lead at the halftime break. Ave Maria was especially lethal on the defensive end of the floor, turning 28 Kansas Christian turnovers into 30 points in the first half. AMU also cleaned up on the offensive glass, rebounding 12 of their 26 misses in the opening 20 minutes.

The pace of the game slowed in the second half, as the Gyrenes' starters did not play in the last 20 minutes of action. AMU played almost exclusively freshmen in the final two quarters, including a trio called up from the program's reserves roster. Kansas Christian outscored the Gyrenes by a point during this 20-minute stretch, powered by a 26-15 edge in the fourth quarter, in which Ave Maria was playing mostly reserves. 

In the victory, the Gyrenes forced 40 Kansas Christian turnovers, a season-high. Of those 40 turnovers, 25 were caused by Ave Maria steals, setting a new program record in the category. The effort beat the previous AMU record of 23, set by the 2018-2019 team in a victory over Trinity College. Ave Maria's 39 made field goals tied the school record set by the same team in a win over Penn State Greater Allegheny.

Of the 16 players that saw the floor Monday night, 15 scored at least two points. The scoring output was led by Allison Fifield, who scored 18 points and also tied for the team lead with five rebounds.  Emily Rapacz was also in double figures with 12 points, while Mckenzi Lyons finished off Ave Maria's trio in double figures with eleven. AMU's record-setting steals output was led by freshman Elena Barnes, who had four.

Monday night's victory against Kansas Christian was the last countable contest for the Gyrenes in three weeks, as AMU has just one exhibition game between November 21 and December 12. The Gyrenes will next take the floor on Sunday afternoon, December 4, against NCAA Division I Florida Gulf Coast University. Tipoff between the Gyrenes and one of the nation's top mid-major programs is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Alico Arena in Fort Myers.