AVE MARIA, Fla. -- Southeastern Men's Basketball earned a solid road victory on Wednesday night, defeating No. 5 Ave Maria 96–91 inside Tom Golisano Field House. The Fire handed the Gyrenes their first home loss of the season and snapped multiple long-running streaks, adding a defining result to the 2025–26 campaign.
The win marked Southeastern's first victory over a top-five opponent since December 11, 2021, when the Fire defeated then-No. 1 St. Francis, 74–72. It was also the program's first road win over a top-five team since at least the 2006–07 season, the earliest year for which records are available. In the process, Southeastern snapped Ave Maria's 14-game home winning streak dating back to last season, along with a 10-game home winning streak in conference play that extended back to the 2023–24 campaign.
SEU played with confidence from the opening tip against one of the NAIA's most difficult home environments.
Anthony Kangah set the tone offensively, attacking off the dribble and creating space with his perimeter shooting. The Fire built several small leads early, while Ave Maria responded with timely baskets to keep the game tight throughout the opening half.
Daivion Traylor established a physical presence in the paint, controlling the glass and limiting second-chance opportunities. His rebounding anchored Southeastern through a brief Gyrene run midway through the period, as the Fire continued to play through contact and remain balanced offensively. Southeastern carried a narrow 35–34 lead into the locker room at halftime, with Kangah and Traylor accounting for the bulk of the Fire's first-half production.
The pace and efficiency escalated after the break, as the teams combined for 118 points in the second half. Southeastern delivered one of its most productive offensive halves of the season, shooting better than 65 percent from the field while connecting on eight of its 11 attempts from three-point range. Kangah caught fire early in the period, knocking down multiple triples to spark a run that allowed the Fire to create separation.
As the lead grew, Southeastern's defensive effort followed. The Fire forced turnovers, secured defensive rebounds, and dictated the tempo, keeping Ave Maria from finding sustained rhythm. A mid-half surge pushed the advantage into double digits, and with just over 10 minutes remaining, Southeastern extended the margin to as many as 20 points, placing the Gyrenes in unfamiliar territory on their home floor.
Kangah finished the night with a season-high 33 points, the most by a Fire player this season and just his second 20-point outing of the year. He was efficient from all three levels, shooting 12-of-17 from the field and knocking down five three-pointers, repeatedly answering Ave Maria runs and providing scoring stability throughout the second half.
Traylor complemented Kangah with one of his most complete performances of the season, posting 22 points and a season-high 16 rebounds. The effort marked Traylor's sixth double-double of the year and his fourth with at least 20 points, while the rebounding total stood as the highest by a Southeastern player this season. His work on the glass proved critical late, helping the Fire close possessions and manage the final minutes.
Ave Maria mounted a late push, trimming the deficit to single digits and energizing the home crowd, but Southeastern remained poised. The Fire executed in the half court, secured key rebounds, and converted timely free throws to close out the road victory.
In addition to Kangah and Traylor, Southeastern received balanced production throughout the lineup, finishing with four players in double figures and recording 18 assists on 33 made field goals. The Fire improved to 18–2 overall and 7–1 in conference play, pulling even with Ave Maria atop the Sun Conference standings as the second half of league play begins.
SEU returns home on Saturday, hosting Florida Memorial inside The Furnace. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. as the Fire look to carry momentum into the next phase of conference play.
