COLUMBIA, S.C. — CIU men's basketball fell short in an offensive shootout Friday afternoon, dropping a 97–89 decision to No. 15 Ave Maria (Fla.) inside the Moore Fitness Center.

After trailing 51–39 at halftime, the Rams came out strong in the second half—shooting 51% from the field and 46% from three—but the nationally ranked Gyrenes held off multiple CIU rallies to secure their first win of the season.

Senior guard Will Kelly led the Rams with 20 points, hitting three triples and going 7-of-14 from the field. Jeffrey Clark, II followed with 14 points and five assists, while both James Davis and Connor Higgins added 11 points apiece. Higgins provided a major spark off the bench, going a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor. Johnny Whysong pulled down a team-high nine rebounds to go along with seven points.

The Rams shot an efficient 47.7% from the field and 81.8% from the free-throw line, but Ave Maria's size and shooting depth proved decisive. The Gyrenes outrebounded CIU 44–37 and knocked down 11 three-pointers while shooting 43.1% overall.

Ave Maria (1–0) capitalized on 21 points off turnovers and 20 second-chance points, while CIU (0–2) tallied 38 points in the paint and 25 on the fast break in an up-tempo contest that featured five lead changes.

The Rams (0–2) will look to bounce back quickly as they host Voorhees (S.C.) tomorrow, Oct. 25, at 3:00 p.m. ET inside the Moore Fitness Center.