MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (January 19, 2024) – The St. Thomas University (STU) Men's Basketball team is coming off of a thrilling victory in overtime against the Southeastern Fire. The Bobcats remain at home tomorrow, hosting the Ave Maria Gyrenes in another huge Sun Conference matchup.
 
When it looked like the game was over, STU managed to fight late against the Fire to force overtime. That is the game that showed really who this team can be. Never giving up, and earning the victory after being down nine points with five minutes remaining in the game. Milton Matthews had another strong performance, hitting a three with under a minute to bring the game to within two. Matthews had 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists.
 
Daniel Ogoro was a dog in the paint, driving through the contested lane and laying one in to tie the game and force overtime with seconds left. Ogoro contributed 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Josh Taylor was also a standout with a double-double. He had 11 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Things are starting to click for Crarey and the Bobcats and if that kind of effort is applied every game, they are going to get hot getting into the middle of Sun Conference play.
 
The Gyrenes are one of the best teams in the Sun Conference in 2024. They sit at 14-4 overall, and 3-1 in the Sun Conference. After beating Southeastern, Warner, and Keiser to start conference play, they lost a tough one to Florida Memorial two nights ago. Ave has shooters, much of the scoring coming from behind the arch. Michael Klekas leads the team in scoring with 296 points, averaging 16.4 per game. Jonathan Effertz leads the Gyrenes from behind the arch, with 51 three's made with a .418% and 2.8 made per game. They also get it done in the paint, as Michael Klekas leads the team in rebounds with 132.
 
Expect this to be a high intensity game, with a ton on the line. The Bobcats now standing at 2-2 in the conference that gives them a chance to be even with the Gyrenes with a win. If the Bobcats can cover their marks and not give Ave open shots, they have the opportunity to really leave their mark in the Sun Conference tomorrow night.