MIAMI GARDENS, FLA (FEBRUARY 19, 2025)  – The St. Thomas University Bobcats fell short against the Ave Maria University Gyrenes on Wednesday night, losing 87-72.  Despite a strong effort from Colin Nutter, who recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, the Bobcats were unable to overcome Ave Maria's hot shooting in the first half.

Although Nutter had a solid game, the Bobcats struggled to overcome their deficits, with many of their key players sidelined. 

Ave Maria (14-7) came out firing, shooting an impressive 58.5% from the field in the first half, including 8-for-13 from beyond the arc. Nick Filchner led the Gyrenes with 17 points, knocking down five three-pointers, while Jonathan Effertz added 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting. The Gyrenes built a commanding 28-point lead midway through the first half and never relinquished control.

St. Thomas (10-10) fought back in the second half, improving their shooting efficiency to 51.7%, but the deficit proved too much to overcome. Adrian Cruz contributed 14 points, while Noah Tovar added 13 points and seven rebounds. The Bobcats managed to win the rebounding battle 36-39 but struggled with turnovers, committing 16, which led to 24 points for the Gyrenes.

Ave Maria's bench played a key role in the victory, outscoring St. Thomas' reserves 33-15. The Gyrenes also capitalized on transition opportunities, racking up 36 fast break points compared to St. Thomas' 23.

Despite the loss, the Bobcats showed resilience late in the game  and will look to bounce back in their next matchup vs New College of Florida, for their final regular season game, on Saturday, February 22nd. 

Tip off is set for 4PM in Sarasota. 

The Bobcats will need to regroup quickly as they prepare for their upcoming matchup, looking to regain momentum as the regular season winds down.