Score: Keiser 85, Ave Maria 64
Records: Keiser (13-6, 4-3 SUN), Ave Maria (8-6, 2-3 SUN) 
Location: Student Life Center, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Keiser Starters: Shykim Gillion (G), Chiara De Virgilio (G), Andressa Nascimento (F), Kaitlyn Fertig (F), Elise Ellison-Coons (F).
Ave Maria Starters: Catie Reszel (G), Cathreveny Cherestal (F), Gianna Santacroce (F), Emily Rapacz (F), Nuria Castillo (G)

Behind Andressa Nascimento's second double-double of the season, the Keiser women's basketball team defeated Ave Maria, 85-64, in Sun Conference action Thursday evening.

Thursday contest served as the Seahawks sixth annual "We Back Pat" game. Proceeds from the game went to the "Pat Summitt Foundation" in the fight against Alzheimer's.



A 16-2 run to open the contest sparked a wire-to-wire victory for the Seahawks. Nascimento led the surge for the Keiser with six points.

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Keiser 18, Ave Maria 10

• Chiara De Virgilio opened the scoring and sparked a 16-2 Seahawk run to start the contest. 
• Nascimento netted six of the 16 points for Keiser during the run and Kaitlyn Fertig closed the stretch with back-to-back layups at the 4:07 mark.
• The Gyrenes closed the quarter on an 8-2 run as the Seahawks took an 18-10 lead into the second quarter.

Keiser 40, Ave Maria 30

• Ave Maria drew within six, 18-12, to open the second quarter before consecutive three-pointers by Elliana Schaefer and Fertig pushed the KU lead back to double figures, 24-12, at the 8:21 mark.
• The Gyrenes answered with a 7-2 stretch to cut the Seahawk lead to seven, 26-19, with 5:38 left in the period.
• Keiser fired back with a layup by De Virgilio and a triple by Nascimento to extend the lead back to 12, 31-19, as 4:57 showed on the clock.
• The Seahawks outscored the Gyrenes 11-9 over the final five minutes of action to take a 40-30 advantage into the break.

Keiser 64, Ave Maria 40

• After Ave Maria opened the scoring in the second half, Keiser went on a 15-2 run to push their lead to 21, 55-34, at the 2:10 mark.
• Four different Seahawks scored during the stretch led by Shykim Gillion with five.
• During the run, the Seahawks held the Gyrenes scoreless for 5:32.
• Six of the next 10 points went in favor of Ave Maria before Shikal Gillion and Zaniah Banks registered the final four points of the half to give KU a 64-40 lead going into the fourth. 

Keiser 85, Ave Maria 64

• A pair of free throws by Shikal Gillion gave Keiser their largest lead of the contest, 66-40, with 9:43 remaining in the contest.
• Julia Fitzwater broke a two-minute scoring drought by both sides with her first three of the game, giving KU a 72-48 lead with 5:45 showing on the clock.
• A Banks triple pushed the Keiser lead back to 26, 81-55, as 2:37 remained in the contest.
• Despite being outscored 9-4 over the final two minutes, the Seahawks came away with an 85-64 victory.

 

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• Thursday's contest was the "We Back Pat" game for the Seahawks. Proceeds from the game went to the "Pat Summitt Foundation" in the fight against Alzheimer's. 
• Keiser improved to 13-6 (4-3 SUN) with the victory Thursday.
• Thursday's game marked the first contest of the 2022 calendar year for the Seahawks.
• Keiser extended their series lead over the Gyrenes to 17-14 all-time.
• The Seahawks have now won four of the last five meetings against the Gyrenes.
• Inside the Student Life Center, Keiser is now 7-7 all-time against Ave Maria.

• Nascimento (14), Schaefer (12) and Shykim Gillion (10) all reached double figures to lead the Seahawks offensively.
• Nascimento registered her second double-double of the season.
• Schaefer matched her career-high with 12 points in the victory.
• Keiser dropped 22 dimes on 28 made baskets, led by four apiece by De Virgilio and Shykim Gillion.
• The Seahawks held a 17-rebound advantage, 49-32, over Ave Maria, led by Nascimento's 10.
• Keiser shot lights out from downtown, netting 11-of-21 attempts (52.4 percent).

 

• Ties: 1
• Lead Changes: 0
• Largest Lead: Keiser (26), Ave Maria (N/A)

Keiser

• Points: Nascimento (14)
• Rebounds: Nascimento (10)
• Assists: Shykim Gillion/De Virgilio (4)

 
Ave Maria

• Points: Cathreveny Cherestal (16)
• Rebounds: Gianna Santacroce (13)
• Assists: Lavariah Armstead (4)

Keiser hits the road for a crucial Sun Conference matchup at No. 2 Southeastern Saturday, Jan. 15, at 5:00 p.m. inside The Furnace in Lakeland, Fla.