AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's basketball team nearly toppled the number two seed in The Sun Conference again on Thursday night, falling 84-77 to the Lions of Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens. The Gyrenes erased a 14-point second half deficit to tie the game in the quarter, but could not secure a win that would have clinched AMU's spot in The Sun Conference Tournament.
Both teams got off to a hot start in the first quarter, as 43 combined points were put on the scoreboard. The Lions shot 52.6 percent from the field in the opening ten minutes, while Ave Maria was at 46.7 percent. AMU's start was a little quicker, with Ave Maria building an early 15-9 lead. Florida Memorial answered with an 11-0 run to take a 20-15 lead, and held a 23-20 lead entering the second quarter.
Florida Memorial's best quarter was the second, which saw the Lions outscore the Gyrenes, 22-14. FMU made four three-pointers in the second, which included a 13-4 run that extended the Lions' lead from one point to ten. Natalia Leguizamon drilled a three-pointer on the final shot of the half, giving Florida Memorial their largest lead of the half at 45-34 entering the break.
The Gyrenes battled back into the game in the third quarter, cutting into Florida Memorial's 14-point lead. Down 48-34 with nine minutes to play, Ave Maria outscored the Lions 19-4 over the next six minutes, taking a 53-52 lead following a layup from Casey Humphrey. Florida Memorial reclaimed the lead on the next possession, and scored six of the final seven points of the quarter to lead 58-54 after three.
In the fourth quarter, the Gyrenes again went on a run to close the gap, going on a 13-3 surge to tie the score at 67 with 4:28 to play. After the teams traded scores to keep the score tied at 69, Florida Memorial went on their biggest run of the game, outscoring AMU 11-2 over a span of three minutes to pull away. Ave Maria got back within four with 23 seconds left on a three-pointer from Gianna Santacroce, but could get no closer.
Colleen Shanahan had a superb game for the Gyrenes, making all eight of her field goals while recording 17 points and 16 rebounds. Gianna Santacroce and Casey Humphrey both had 16 points, while Lavariah Armstead rounded out Ave Maria's quartet of double figure scorers with 15 points. Emily Rapacz narrowly missed out on a double-double with seven points and ten rebounds.
Ave Maria remains in control of their destiny for the postseason, as the Gyrenes can clinch a spot in the conference tournament with a win on Saturday or a Coastal Georgia victory over Warner. Ave Maria's half of that equation comes Saturday afternoon, when the Gyrenes host the St. Thomas University Bobcats at Donahue Gym. Tipoff between the Gyrenes and Bobcats is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Ave Maria.
