WINONA LAKE, Ind. (Interstat) — In a stunning reversal of expectations, the Ave Maria Gyrenes rode a historic offensive explosion to a 99-86 victory over the Grace Lancers in a men’s NAIA basketball game on Saturday, March 21, 2026.

The most important part of the game was the sheer, sustained offensive firepower displayed by Ave Maria from the opening tip. The Gyrenes, who entered as significant underdogs according to predictive metrics, defied an 84.6% win probability for Grace by unleashing a near-flawless first half that effectively decided the contest. Ave Maria scored 55 points in the first quarter alone and took a 99-86 lead into halftime, a staggering display of efficiency that left the home team scrambling.

The offensive onslaught was led by star guard Jack Watkins, who continued his exceptional postseason run. Watkins scored 35 points, including six 3-pointers, to pace the Gyrenes. His back-to-back plays early in the first quarter—a driving layup followed shortly by a steal and a dunk—helped ignite the initial surge that Grace could never fully answer.

While Watkins provided the scoring punch, forward Alex Sherwood anchored the interior with a monstrous double-double of 12 points and 17 rebounds, including four offensive boards that fueled second-chance opportunities. Ave Maria’s decisive advantage came from beyond the arc, where they shot 15 for 31 compared to Grace’s 5-for-30 performance. This 30-point disparity from 3-point range proved insurmountable for the Lancers.

Grace, which fell to 28-4, was led by Hunter Walston’s 24 points and a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds from Gage Sefton. The Lancers shot a respectable 47.1% on two-point attempts but were undone by their cold shooting from deep and an inability to string together defensive stops against Ave Maria’s relentless attack.

The Gyrenes, who improved to 31-4, operated with high efficiency, scoring 99 points on just 83 possessions for an offensive rating of 119.5. They protected the ball reasonably well against a active Grace defense and dominated the glass, outrebounding the Lancers 47-37.

The victory marks another significant step for Ave Maria in postseason play, following a tight win at LSU Shreveport the previous night. They will advance with momentum, having delivered one of their most complete and explosive performances of the season on the road against a top-seeded opponent. Grace’s season ends with a home loss after a campaign that saw them lose only three times prior to Saturday.