AVE MARIA, Fla. – The Thomas University Men's basketball team started off hot, scoring 40 points in the first half to push out to a double-digit lead, but once again Ave Maria's prayers were answered, as the Gyrenes found a way to erase the deficit and mount a second-half comeback, defeating the Night Hawks 67-63 Saturday evening at the Golisano Fieldhouse in The Sun Conference action.
 
TU (7-12, 7-6 TSC) led for nearly 37 minutes of the contest, but Divine Intervention once again came through for Ave Maria in the final minute as a Fernando Salsamendi dunk followed by a TU turnover would seal a TSC win for the Gyrenes.
 
The Hunter Green & White finished the day shooting over 43% from the court and just under 32% long range.  Senior Forward Desean Enzor led all TU scorers with 14, followed by Junior Guards Toriano Lewis and Trint Bryant with 11 and 10 points, respectively.  Junior Guard Jordan Booker may have been limited in scoring with only six points, but the Powder Springs, Ga. native continued to be a defensive force, notching seven of the team's 10 total turnovers.
 
1st Half (TU 40, AMU 29)

• The Gyrenes only saw a lead for 14 seconds, as the Night Hawks controlled the lead for virtually the entire half

 

• Thomas began to build its lead at the 13:29 mark, outscoring Ave Maria 11-0 in a two minute, 44 second span

 

• TU forced 10 turnovers in the half alone

 

• A good free-throw from Desean Enzor with 1:18 remaining would give the Night Hawks its largest lead (40-26) of the evening

 

• The Hunter Green & White shot over 53% from the field

 
2nd Half (AMU 67, TU 63)

• After Trint Bryant's layup in the first 13 seconds extended Thomas' lead to 13, AMU spent the next 4:14 on a 10-0 scoring run, highlighted by Lucas Uzdavinis' seven points

 

• TU maintained a marginal, single digit lead throughout the second half, but Ave Maria kept nipping at the Night Hawks' talons

 

• Down 65-63, the Night Hawks had one final chance of tying the game with 11 seconds remaining as Fernando Salsamendi missed the one-and-one shot, but an offensive rebound and pair of good additional free throws sealed TU's doom

 

• Thomas' field percentage was limited to 32% in the half

 
TU by the Numbers
3:       Players Scoring Double Digits
4:       Current Standing in The Sun Conference
14:     Largest Lead of the Game
16:     Points off Turnovers
18:     Team Assists
40:     First Half Points
63:     Total Points
 
 
TU stays on the road Tuesday, as the team returns to Babson Park, Fla. Tuesday for a chance to sweep the Warriors of Webber International.  Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.
 
For up-to-date information on this game and other TU Athletics, visit http://www.TUNightHawks.com. Stay up-to-date with news, scores, photos, game summaries, play-by-play, and feature stories of your TU men's basketball team by following them via Twitter at @NightHawksMBKB.