LAKELAND, Fla. — The Ave Maria men's basketball team improved to 3-0 following their 95-89 win over the Middle Georgia State Knights Thursday afternoon in day one of the Sun/Southern State Challenge. Junior transfer Nick Filchner showed off in the game, putting up 28 points off the bench.
The Gyrenes started off hot, hitting the first four three pointers of the game to race out to a 12-3 lead. After a layup and a free throw, AMU found themselves on top 15-5, the largest lead of the game for either team.
From there, MGA clawed their way back into the game, tied it up, and then took their first lead of the game with six minutes left to go in the first half. Sophomore Jonathan Effertz immediately responded with a three, his third of the half, to put Ave Maria back on top 34-33.
In the final five minutes before halftime, the two teams wrestled for the lead, eventually ending the first 20 minutes tied at 45.
The Gyrenes hit 10 threes in the opening period to make up 30 of their 45 points. It is the most threes made in a half for the Gyrenes since February 6, 2021, when they made 11 shots from downtown in the opening half against St. Thomas. Five different players hit a long range shot with Effertz and Filchner leading the way with three each.
The second half started with the two teams going back and forth like the first half, but them Middle Georgia surged ahead. The Knights went on a run and got out to their biggest lead of the game, 62-54, five minutes into the half.
Slowly, but surely, the Gyrenes came back and took the lead seven minutes later on Filchner's fifth three of the day, putting AMU on top 74-73.
The lead changed hands a few more times, but Ave Maria took a two-point lead with just under two minutes remaining in the game. AMU then tightened up on defense, only allowing the Knights to get three more points, while hitting their free throws to eventually win 95-89.
Ave Maria put up 50 points in the second half, the fourth time they have done so this season.
Filchner, a transfer from NCAA Division I Merrimack College, led the team in scoring with 28 points and five three-pointers. Four other players hit double digits for the Gyrenes with Effertz scoring 18, Jack Watkins scoring 14, and Miles Monchecourt putting up 10.
With the win, the Gyrenes remain undefeated at 3-0. AMU is also still undefeated in the Sun/SSAC challenge which started last season, having beaten Stillman College and the University of Mobile last season.
The challenge ends Friday, November 3, with the Gyrenes taking on the Stillman Tigers once again. Tipoff is set for noon as one of the four games to take place in Lakeland, Florida, hosted by Southeastern University.
