AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's basketball team played one of their most complete basketball games of the season Saturday afternoon, earning a convincing win, 80-63, over a talented team from Keiser University at the Tom Golisano Field House. The win moved Ave Maria alone into third place in The Sun Conference, one game behind both Southeastern and St. Thomas with four games remaining in the regular season.

Ave Maria was dialed in from the jump, as the Gyrenes put 16 points on the board before the first quarter media timeout. Lavariah Armstead and Colleen Shanahan led Ave Maria's early charge, with the duo combining for 13 of AMU's 16 points. Although that pace didn't hold up for the remainder of the frame - or the game, for that matter - the Gyrenes remained in control, holding a 21-13 lead after ten minutes of play.

The Gyrenes continued to control the game in the second quarter, outscoring the Seahawks by a 23-9 margin to build a 44-22 halftime lead. Ave Maria shot 58.6 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes, and held the Seahawks to just 21.9 percent with just seven makes on 32 attempts. AMU was especially adept inside, consistently finding the open player and making 13 of 18 two-point attempts.

Any halftime hopes from Keiser of a comeback seemed to vanished quickly at the beginning of the third quarter, as the Gyrenes pushed their lead above 30 points. After pounding the ball inside in the first half, Ave Maria hit from deep in the third quarter, hitting four of six three-point attempts. The Ave Maria lead got as large as 35 points late in the third, and AMU held a 69-35 lead heading into the fourth.

Keiser did outplay the Gyrenes by a wide margin in the fourth quarter, but Ave Maria's massive lead was more than enough to withstand the Seahawk surge. Keiser outscored the Gyrenes 28-11 in the fourth quarter, and cut the Gyrene lead down to 13 in the final minutes. However, AMU did not allow the Seahawks to get any closer, keeping Keiser from mounting any real comeback attempt. 

Maria Kuhlman had a standout performance for the Gyrenes, logging a double-double of 19 points and ten rebounds. Three other Gyrenes were in double figures, led by 15 points from Lavariah Armstead. Casey Humphrey and Colleen Shanahan both added ten points. Armstead and Humphrey helped lead Ave Maria's offensive efforts with five assists each, aiding an AMU attack that shot 52.6 percent from the field for the game.

AMU sits at 7-3 in Sun Conference play with four games - third on the road and one at home - remaining on the slate. The win did ensure a postseason berth for the Gyrenes, who can now finish no lower than sixth in the league standings. Ave Maria's next contest comes Wednesday evening, when the Gyrenes head across the state for a meeting with Florida Memorial University. Tipoff from Miami Gardens is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.