BRUNSWICK, Ga.- The Ave Maria University men's basketball team could not complete a comeback on Thursday night, falling 66-61 to the Mariners of the College of Coastal Georgia. Ave Maria trailed by 16 with less than ten minutes to go, but fought their way back to within four in the final three minutes before running out of time. The loss was the sixth in a row for the Gyrenes, with all six losses coming by ten points or fewer.

The first half was a tale of two runs, as Coastal Georgia started the half well, but Ave Maria took the momentum before halftime. The host Mariners were the better team for the first seven minutes, jumping out to a 13-6 lead. Coastal Georgia eventually held a 27-19 lead with 4:40 to go in the half before the Gyrenes exploded for a 12-0 run, led by seven points from Chayse Culpepper. Coastal did score on the final possession of the half, cutting AMU's lead at the break to 31-30. 

In the second half, the Mariners came out of the locker room on fire. Trailing 33-30, Coastal Georgia proceeded to go on an 18-1 run, with the final 12 points of the run coming on three-pointers. That lead would eventually balloon to 16 points, 54-38, with 9:38 to go. 

Ave Maria had one rally left in them, outscoring Coastal Georgia 16-4 over the next 7:14 to cut the Mariners lead to four with 2:24 on the clock. However, the Gyrenes would get no closer, as the Mariners scored on three of their next four possessions to keep AMU at arm's length. 

The depth of Coastal Georgia proved to be a major difference in the game, as the Mariners outscored Ave Maria 36-17 in bench points. The Mariners also forced 19 Ave Maria turnovers, while turning the ball over 14 times themselves. Ave Maria's strength was around the basket, with the Gyrenes holding a 32-22 advantage in points in the paint. 

Chayse Culpepper was in range of a triple-double Thursday night, leading AMU with 17 points while adding seven assists and six rebounds. Klajd Kiri was also in double figures, making six of his nine field goal attempts to finish with 13 points. Miles Monchecourt rounded out Ave Maria's trio in double figures with eleven points.

The loss moved the Gyrenes, for now, out of The Sun Conference Tournament, as AMU now sits seventh in The Sun Conference standings. Ave Maria will have another chance for a trajectory changing win on Saturday, when the Gyrenes battle the Thomas University Night Hawks, who currently sit in second place in the league. Thomas, who won the first meeting between the teams at Donahue Gym in November, and Ave Maria will tip off at 4 p.m. in Thomasville.