JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's basketball team didn't quite equal their record scoring output from the first meeting of the season with Trinity Baptist College, but still scored plenty in a 122-75 victory over the Eagles Saturday afternoon in Jacksonville. The 122-point output was the second most in school history, and moved the Gyrenes, who have now won eight consecutive games since two losses in Lakeland, to 10-2 on the season. 

The Gyrenes never trailed in the blowout victory over the Eagles, as Miles Monchecourt scored six points in the first minute of the game - an and-one on AMU's first possession and a three-pointer on the second, to give AMU a lead they would not relinquish. Ave Maria's lead grew as large as 27 points in the opening frame, as Ave Maria knocked down ten three-pointers and shot 54.1 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes. Monchecourt's early surge proved to be a preview of things to come, as the senior scored 16 first half points to pace AMU.

Taking a 60-38 lead into the halftime break, the second half was more of the same for Ave Maria, who outscored Trinity Baptist 62-37 in the final 20 minutes. Head coach Jamon Copeland utilized his entire roster in the second half, with ten of the 12 Gyrenes to play scoring in the final 20 minutes. One of the major beneficiaries was Mark Blaszczyk, who made all five of his field goal attempts in the second half to finish with 14 second half points.

As a team, Ave Maria shot 56.6 percent from the field, and knocked down 18 of their 41 three-point attempts. It marked the tenth time in school history where an Ave Maria team made 18 or more three-pointers, with five of those occasions coming in the last two seasons. AMU was also solid on the glass, grabbing 16 offensive rebounds and recording 20 second chance points. Ave Maria grabbed 49 rebounds overall, the most in a single game this season.

Five Gyrenes finished in double figures, led by 22 points from Monchecourt, who also pulled down a team-best nine rebounds. Klekas added 21 points, while Blaszczyk finished with 15. The quintet was rounded out by Noryen Lasley, who finished with 13 points and eight rebounds, and Jack Watkins, who was also in double-double territory with ten points and eight assists, the highest single game mark for a Gyrene this season.

Already with one win over a nationally ranked team this season, Ave Maria will have two more chances to boost their resume before Christmas. The Gyrenes will play No. 12 Huntington on Monday, December 16, and will play No. 22 Bethel the next night. Both games, Ave Maria's last of the 2024 calendar year, will be played at the Tom Golisano Field House with tipoff times of 7:30 p.m.