AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's basketball team had their best shooting day of the season Wednesday evening, and rode it to an 82-73 victory over Warner University at the new Tom Golisano Field House. The Gyrene win, coupled with Southeastern's loss to Keiser, moved AMU one game out of first place in SUN play with five regular season contests remaining.

It took a few minutes for both teams to warm up offensively - Ave Maria held a 5-2 lead five minutes into the contest - but the points eventually came quickly. In the final five minutes of the frame, Ave Maria and Warner combined for 29 points, with AMU holding a 21-15 lead. The Gyrenes hit threes on back to back possessions after Warner tied the game at 13, allowing AMU to hold the edge at the end of the first quarter. 

For much of the second quarter, the Gyrenes were ice cold, scoring just three points in the first eight minutes of the frame. In that period, Warner was able to grab a 28-24 lead. The final two minutes of the half, though, swung momentum back to the Gyrenes. Ave Maria went on an 11-2 run, capped off by an and-one from Casey Humphrey and two free throws from Elena Barnes with under a second to play. AMU scored eight of those 11 points in the final 40 seconds, taking a 35-30 lead into the break.

The Gyrenes came out of the half rolling, starting the frame on a 8-2 run to build their lead to eleven, 43-32. From there, both teams would go on mini-runs throughout the frame, with Ave Maria leading by as many as 12 and Warner getting as close as four. However, Ave Maria maintained control of the game throughout the frame, and went into the fourth quarter with a 64-54 lead.

Warner closed the gap to six points early in the fourth quarter, but the Gyrenes would allow their visitors to get no closer until the final seconds. Ave Maria pushed the lead out to 14 points in the fourth, which would prove to be enough to withstand a late Warner run. Warner got to within five in the final minute, but Ave Maria made their free throws to ensure a sixth Sun Conference victory.

Ave Maria knocked down 12 of their 21 three-point attempts in the victory, with Maria Kuhlman hitting four as part of her game-high 16 points. Four other Gyrenes were also in double figures in the win - Colleen Shanahan and Gianna Santacroce both scored 13 points, while Mary Smith and Casey Humphrey added 12 points each. Smith and Santacroce both played major roles in AMU's hot shooting, with Smith hitting four threes and Santacroce contributing three.

A key home stand for the Gyrenes continues Saturday, when AMU welcomes the Seahawks of Keiser University to new Golisano. The game will be pivotal in The Sun Conference standings, as both the Gyrenes and Seahawks boast conference records of 6-3, one game behind first place Southeastern and St. Thomas. Tipoff from new Golisano is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.