Michael Williams scored a game-high 24 points to help St. Ambrose to a 74-66 win at Clarke on the first day of the Clarke Tip-Off Classic Friday night.

The sophomore also pulled down nine rebounds as the Bees moved to 2-0 on the year.

Williams hit back-to-back baskets late in the first half to break a 30-30 tie and added another score as part of a half-ending 8-3 run that gave SAU a 38-33 lead. His 3-pointer just over four minutes into the second half pushed the margin to 45-35 and the Bees led by at least seven points the rest of the way.

Williams knocked down a pair of threes and finished 8-of-10 from the line in his career-best scoring night. He has scored in double figures in both games this season, matching the number of times he hit the mark during his entire freshman campaign.

Warren Allen scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting, John Kerr finished with 13 and Ben Schols added 12 to give SAU four players in double digits. Kerr matched Williams with nine rebounds to help St. Ambrose to a 44-30 edge on the boards.

The Bees shot better than 52 percent from the floor (24-of-46), thanks to hitting 16-of-23 shots in the opening half, and also outscored the Pride 21-12 from the line to help offset 25 turnovers.

Jake Meeske scored six points and Tom Kazanecki dropped in four.

St. Ambrose will conclude the two-day classic against No. 23 Bethel (Ind.) at 3 p.m. Saturday.