AVE MARIA, Fla. - Ninth ranked St. Thomas clinched the 2017-18 regular season Sun Conference championship on Thursday night following an 80-50 win over host Ave Maria.  The win, combined with a loss by Keiser to Warner, gave the Bobcats the championship outright with one regular season game to play.

By clinching the regular season championship, St. Thomas will be the number one seed and host The Sun Conference Championship Tournament semifinals and finals to be held Monday, Feb. 26 and Tuesday, Feb. 27 at the Fernandez Family Center.

Darwin Trotman led the Bobcats with 15 points on a highly efficient 7-of-8 shooting night.  Trotman also was active on the glass, pulling down seven rebounds.

Timothy Sada scored 13 points, 10 of which came in the second half, while draining three three-pointers.  Raheem Bowman recorded another double-double, scoring 11 points and pulling down 11 rebounds.  Mikhail Rolle also scored in double figures with 12 points.

In a game that started with very little offense from both teams, STU took a modest 29-21 lead into the locker room at intermissions.

The Bobcats however blew the game open in the second half, outscoring the Gyrenes 51-29.  STU shot 54% from the field in the second half as three Bobcats - Sada, Tyrik Waite and Antoine Joe - each hit a pair of three-pointers in the second stanza.

Meanwhile, STU locked down AMU defensively holding the Gyrenes to 32% shooting and forcing eight turnovers in the second half.

The regular season concludes on Saturday for the Sun Conference regular season champs with a trip to Lakeland, Fla. to face Southeastern. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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