MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Ave Maria University men's basketball team played their best game against Florida Memorial this season, but still couldn't find a way past the Lions as Ave Maria lost their SUN Conference semifinal game 92-87.
Friday night's tournament game started out very tight, with a couple of lead changes and a one-to-two possession game for the first 15 minutes.
Right before the end of the half, Florida Memorial jumped out to a double-digit lead and thought they had finally pulled away from the Gyrenes. Ave Maria thought differently and went on an 11-2 run, capped with a Jaylen White three pointer, to bring them back within a possession of the Lions, making the score 44-42.
FMU got a free throw and two buckets to close out the half and take a 49-42 lead into the break, but the Gyrenes felt that they were in the game.
Florida Memorial matched the Gyrenes in the opening minutes of the second half, and played with a three-to-four possession lead for much of the first ten minutes of the frame.
Right before the second media timeout though, AMU hit three trifectas in a row, one from Jonathan Effertz and two from Miles Monchecourt to make it a one point game, 68-67.
Two Effertz free throws put Ave Maria on top 69-68. Unfortunately, FMU immediately responded with a three of their own, retaking the lead, one they would never give back.
With under a minute to go, the Gyrenes found themselves down by three, 90-87, following two made free throws from Florida Memorial. Ave Maria drew up the plays they wanted, but went 0-for-5 from in the field in the final 60 seconds while the Lions hit two more free throws to win the game by five.
As a team the Gyrenes hit 19 threes in the game, tied for the most this season, and second-most all time in program history. While the Gyrenes had no trouble outside the arc, inside they only hit nine shots, 12 fewer than their average number of two-pointers this season.
Individually, Effertz led the team with 23 points, hitting six of Ave Maria's three pointers. Klekas joined him in the 20s with 22 points and five of the team's trifectas. Klekas also recorded his fourth double-double of the season, pulling in 10 rebounds. Jack Watkins was the only other shooter in double digits with 11 points.
Following the loss, Ave Maria is knocked out of the SUN Conference tournament and their record moves to 21-9. The Gyrenes future is now in the hands of the NAIA selection committee to see if they will get an invitation to the 86th NAIA Men's Basketball Tournament as an at-large team. The Gyrenes have been in the top 40 all season long and are hoping to be rewarded with their first bid to the national tournament since 2019.
The Selection Show will be broadcast live on the NAIA's official YouTube page Thursday, March 7, at 7 p.m. eastern. If the Gyrenes are selected, their first game would be Friday, March 15.
