Ave Maria University Athletics’ men’s basketball team defeated Florida College 99-80 Saturday in Ave Maria, Florida, after scoring 57 points in the first half. The victory improved Ave Maria to 2-0 and marked the program’s 150th home win. Ave Maria led 57-30 at halftime and remained in control despite Florida College outscoring the Gyrenes by eight points after the break.
George Sabatini led Ave Maria with 23 points and recorded his second dunk of the season. Byrd added 14 points, while Marlon Bennett scored 12 and Alex Sherwood had 11. Sherwood also led Ave Maria with nine rebounds.
Ave Maria takes control early
Florida College held the lead for two minutes at the start of the game, with its largest advantage reaching three points. Ave Maria answered with a layup from Amaan Sanni and a 3-pointer by Lance Rawls to take a 9-7 lead. Those baskets started a 12-0 run that shifted control to the Gyrenes.
Florida College later moved within five points, but that was the closest it came for the rest of the game. With a little more than eight minutes remaining in the first half, Sabatini recorded a dunk that put Ave Maria ahead by 11. The Gyrenes maintained a double-digit lead from that point forward.
Ave Maria closed the half by outscoring Florida College 21-9 over the final five minutes. A layup from graduate transfer Zane McCarty gave the Gyrenes a 28-point lead, their largest of the half. McCarty then made two free throws in the final seconds to send Ave Maria into halftime ahead 57-30.
Balanced offense sustains the lead
Ave Maria made eight 3-pointers but also controlled the paint. The Gyrenes outscored Florida College 50-28 near the basket. That interior production complemented the team’s perimeter shooting during the victory.
Ave Maria’s 57-point first half was its highest-scoring half since the program scored 59 points against Friends in the second round of the NAIA National Championship the previous season. Florida College outscored Ave Maria in the second half, but the eight-point margin was not enough to make the game competitive. Ave Maria continued to hold a firm lead throughout the final 20 minutes.
Ave Maria did not produce another long run after halftime, but it avoided extended scoring droughts. Byrd and Sabatini combined for three consecutive layups during one stretch. The Gyrenes continued to apply pressure while maintaining separation from Florida College.
With fewer than four minutes remaining, Ave Maria brought in several bench players for their first minutes of the season. Maurizio D’Alessandro and Bryce Meitin each made a 3-pointer, bringing Ave Maria to 97 points. Bradley Michel then made two free throws to give the Gyrenes a 99-80 lead.
What comes next
Ave Maria will play its next two games at the Chick-Fil-A Classic in McKenzie, Tennessee. The Gyrenes will face the Tennessee Southern Fire Hawks on Friday, November 6, at 7 p.m. Eastern, or 6 p.m. Central. The game will be streamed live on Hudl.
Ave Maria will also play Bethel during the Chick-Fil-A Classic. The matchup with Bethel will be the first meeting between the two programs. The event gives Ave Maria two road games after its 150th home victory.
FSB Take
Ave Maria’s 2-0 start has featured decisive first-half offense and production both inside and outside the arc. The 57-point opening half created enough separation to withstand Florida College’s second-half advantage. The next two games will test whether the Gyrenes can carry that offensive balance into the Chick-Fil-A Classic.
Source: Original report