Playing for the first time in 10 days, St. Ambrose showed some expected early rust. But the Bees shook it off to recover for a 78-60 win over East-West Tuesday afternoon in Lee Lohman Arena.

SAU was sluggish early, missing eight of its first nine shots in falling behind 10-2. The deficit grew to as large as 12 points at 34-22 with 5:30 to play in the opening half.

That's when the Bees finally came to life.

Two Will Spriggs free throws ignited a half-ending 16-2 run. Kieran Farrell and Atem Agot scored inside around a Solomon Garrison jumper. Collin Wainscott knocked down a 3-pointer, which proved to be the team's only three of the game, to cap a run off 11 straight points to close the gap to a single point.

After an East-West basket, Agot split a pair of free throws. Austin Born converted inside to tie the game at 36-36. Agot closed the first-half scoring with a layup to give SAU a 38-36 lead at the break.

Born grabbed an offensive rebound, leading to a three-point play to start the scoring in the second half. St. Ambrose (10-2) pushed the lead to double figures at 58-47 on a Grant Mason layup midway through the half. The lead ballooned to as many as 22 points as the Bees claimed their 10th win of the season.

Despite finishing just 1-of-22 from beyond the arc, SAU shot better than 48 percent overall from the floor. The Bees also out-rebounded the Phantoms 45-28, leading to a 22-6 edge in second-chance points.

Agot led the way with 15 points and 12 rebounds. He finished 7-of-9 from the field. Mason scored 13 points and Garrison came off the bench to net 12.

Born scored nine, Alec Platipodis finished with eight and Spriggs ended with six. Wainscott (five), Farrell and Zane Witt (four), and Elgin Bowen Jr. (two) also scored in the victory.

St. Ambrose will return to CCAC action Saturday with a game at Governors State.