MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Stillman College came out of Christmas break hot, but Ave Maria University used a big second half to pull away with a 78-59 win over the Tigers in the Southern States Athletic Conference / Sun Conference Challenge at Tine W. Davis Gym on Faulkner University's campus, Dec. 29.


Marcus Bates Jr led Stillman with 16 points and eight rebounds, while also adding one block, an assist and two steals. Kahlil Johnson scored 11 points.

Stillman led for the first 12 minutes of action, but Ave Maria used a 12-2 run to build a six-point lead, 24-18, with 7:22 remaining in the first half. While Bates cut it to a one-point game, 31-30, with 1:39 left in the half, Houston Culpepper answered with a basket on the other end. Bates scored the final basket of the half to keep the Tigers within two points, 35-33, at halftime.

The Gyrenes out-paced the Tigers, 18-10 in the first eight minutes of the second half to lead by 10 points, 53-43. Jalen Taylor answered with a free throw,  55-44, but that was the only time Stillman cut it to single digits the rest of the game. Ave Maria's largest lead was 20 points, 76-56, before Brenden Lankford-Johnson hit a 3-pointer with 1:29 left.

Stillman shot 37% in the game, including only 4-of-18 from 3-point range. The Tigers were 9-of-15 from the free throw line. In contrast, Ave Maria had 14 free throw attempts in the second half alone and shot 11-of-20 in the game. The  Gyrenes shot 57% from the floor.

Klajid Kiri posted a double-double 24 points and 11 rebounds to lead Ave Maria. Matt Gillis also had a double-double for AMU with 17 points and 10 boards, while Culpepper also doubled up with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Stillman (8-5) will return to action Friday morning at 11 a.m. against St. Thomas University (Fla.) to start the second day of the SSAC/Sun Challenge. St. Thomas fell to Mobile, 74-70, on Thursday.

The SSAC is 4-3 against Sun Conference teams through the first day of the SSAC/Sun Challenge in games played in Montgomery and West Palm Beach, Florida. The SSAC was 3-1 in Montgomery and 1-2 in West Palm Beach.

SSAC/SUN CHALLENGE SCHEDULE - DEC. 30
MONTGOMERY, AL
Stillman vs St. Thomas
Mobile vs Ave Maria
Warner at Faulkner
Talladega vs Southeastern

WEST PALM BEACH, FL
Dalton State vs Keiser
William Carey vs Webber International
Brewton-Parker vs Florida Memorial