AVE MARIA, Fla. — The Ave Maria Women's Basketball team dropped another game to a Midwest team, falling to No. 17 Dakota Wesleyan Tigers 75-51.
Like most games in the Christmas Classic, the Gyrenes hung in with Dakota Wesleyan in the early stages and led for two and half minutes to start the game. However, just like the game against Northwestern, Dakota Wesleyan went on a big run towards the end of the first quarter, scoring 13 points in three and a half minutes to go up 19-7. The Tigers only outscored the Gyrenes by 12 points in the final 31 minutes of game, meaning they got half of their lead in just a few minutes in the first quarter.
The second quarter saw Dakota Wesleyan outscore Ave Maria, but only by three. The Gyrenes got sent to the line eight times in the second frame and made six of them, keeping them near the Tigers.
The Gyrenes played strong defensively in the third quarter, holding the Tigers to just two made shots. However, Dakota Wesleyan got sent to the line 12 times, and made two of those shots, to score 15 in the quarter. On the opposite side of the floor, AMU hit four shots and six free throws.
Ave Maria had kept the deficit to around 13 all game, and was threatening to comeback in the fourth quarter, but another DWU run did them in. The Tigers outscored the Gyrenes 16-3 for just under five minutes to get up 69-42. AMU closed strong with nine points in the last four minutes of the game but ran out of time against the Tigers.
The loss drops Ave Maria's record to 5-6 overall and 3-5 in non-conference play. It is also the Gyrenes' fourth loss this week against tough competition in the Gyrene Christmas Classic.
Colleen Shanahan led the team in scoring with 11 points. She was the only player in double digits for the Gyrenes.
After three straight days of basketball, the Gyrenes get a day's rest before returning to the court to play their last game before Christmas. Ave Maria will host Huntington out of the Crossroads League in Indiana. It will be the first ever meeting between the Gyrenes and the Foresters in Women's Basketball. Tipoff is set for 12 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on the Sun Digital Network.
