MIAMI GARDENS, FLA (JANUARY 17, 2026) - The St. Thomas University Bobcats men's basketball team dropped a hard-fought contest on their home floor, falling 74-70 to the visiting Ave Maria University Gyrenes on Saturday night.

Ave Maria built its advantage early behind efficient inside scoring and strong rebounding, taking a double-digit lead late in the first half and heading into the break in control. The Gyrenes shot nearly 46 percent in the opening half and established their presence in the paint, where they finished with 54 points for the game.

St. Thomas responded after halftime with improved shooting and defensive intensity. The Bobcats connected on 48.6 percent of their shots in the second half and knocked down eight three-pointers after the break to claw their way back into the game. Adrian Cruz led the comeback effort, pouring in a game-high 28 points while hitting six shots from beyond the arc. Joshua Thrower added 11 points off the bench, while Kaleb Myers chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds.

In the final minutes, St. Thomas trimmed the deficit to one possession and had opportunities to tie or take the lead. However, Ave Maria answered with timely baskets and free throws to pull away in the final minute and secure the road victory.

Michael Klekas paced the Gyrenes with 17 points, while Alex Sherwood posted a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Jaylen White also contributed 13 points for Ave Maria, which held a 42-37 rebounding edge and scored 18 second-chance points.

Despite the loss, the Bobcats showed resilience by battling back after trailing by as many as 16 points. St. Thomas finished the game shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from three-point range, but turnovers and rebounding proved to be key factors in the narrow defeat.

The Bobcats will have look to recover as they welcome in Sun Conference opponent New College of Florida on Wednesday, January 21st. 

Tip off is set for 7:30pm.