AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's basketball team exploded offensively on Thursday, riding one of the team's best performances of the season to a 106-73 victory over the Lions of Florida Memorial University. The win marked the most points ever scored by an AMU team in a regulation conference game, and was the third 100-point performance in a row for the Gyrenes against Florida Memorial. Ave Maria has scored at least 90 points in each of their last five games against the Lions.

Florida Memorial scored the first four points Thursday night, but the Lions' momentum did not last long. Ave Maria would score 22 of the next 27 points, racing out to a 22-9 lead that would never drop below ten points for the remainder of the game. The Gyrenes would lead by as many as 16 points in the first half, led by effort of Miles Monchecourt, who made his first seven shots and first five three-pointers en route to 19 points in the first 20 minutes. FMU did trim the AMU lead slightly from its peak, but the Gyrenes still held a 51-39 lead at halftime. 

The second half was more of the same, as Ave Maria added another 55 points to pull away from the Lions. Florida Memorial got the Gyrene lead down to 12 points with 12:43 remaining, but Ave Maria outscored the Lions by a 36-15 margin from that point forward to account for the 33-point victory. AMU shot 60 percent from the field in the second half, with eight different Gyrenes making at least one shot.

Ave Maria made 44 field goals in the win, the most ever in a Sun Conference game in program history and the fourth most in any game. Additionally, AMU made 12 of their 20 three-point attempts, a 60 percent mark that ranked seventh in a single game in school history. Ave Maria also dominated on the offensive glass, grabbing 14 of their 28 missed shots. In total, the Gyrenes outrebounded Florida Memorial by a margin of 47-26.

Miles Monchecourt had a career game in the win, scoring 32 points with 12 made field goals, including eight three-pointers. The eight three-pointers tied for fourth most in a single game in school history, and tied the record, also held by Gianpaolo Riccio and Malik Hill, for three-pointers made in a Sun Conference game. Also in double figures were Michael Klekas (23), Klajd Kiri (12), Vince Ventulan (12), and Houston Culpepper (11). Klekas nearly had a double-double with eight rebounds, and Culpepper was in triple-double territory with nine rebounds and seven assists. 

Thursday's game was an essential must-win for the Gyrenes, who kept pace in the race for a spot in The Sun Conference Tournament. A win Saturday would be a major step towards a postseason berth, as Ave Maria battles conference title contender St. Thomas. A win over the Bobcats, who were receiving votes in the newest NAIA Coaches' Poll, would give the Gyrenes a season sweep, with AMU claiming an 82-77 win at Donahue Gym in early January. Tipoff from Miami Gardens is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.