AZUSA, Calif. - The 14th-ranked Embry-Riddle men's
basketball team suffered its first loss of the season on Friday, falling to
24th-ranked NAIA Division I foe Azusa Pacific at the Cougar Classic. Eric Lorenzi led all scorers with 18 points, while Blake Touchard added 17 points, five
boards, five steals and five assists as the Eagles fell to 2-1 on the year.
The Eagles led 36-31 at the half, after shooting 52% in the first half (15-29) and holding the Cougars to just 36% from the field. Sophomore point guard Blake Touchard (Los Angeles, Calif./Mater Dei HS) enjoyed a successful return to his home state, scoring 12 of his points in the first half, including ten in the first eight minutes of the game.
The Eagles got a three-pointer from Eric Lorenzi on the first possession of the second half to take their largest lead of the game, 39-31, but the Cougars would outscore the Eagles 20-7 over the next eight minutes to go up 51-46.
The Eagles faced their biggest deficit of the night at 62-55 with just under three minutes to play, but scored seven unanswered points in a span of 78 seconds to tie the game. Eric Lorenzi started the rally with a jumper on the right wing. Embry-Riddle forced a turnover on the subsequent in-bounds play and got a three-point play from Blake Touchard who was fouled slashing to the basket. After forcing a miss by the Cougars, Touchard slashed to the basket again, dishing to Lorenzi at the last minute to tie the score with 1:37 to play.
On their next trip down the floor, Reggie Owens was fouled by Brett Rawlings and made the first of two free throws, giving the Cougars a 63-62 lead. Owens would miss the second free throw, but the Cougars were able to corral the rebound and get fouled again, sending Mason Maynard to the line. Maynard would also make one of two, giving Azusa a 64-62 lead with 1:11 to play.
The Eagles countered with a Rawlings stickback with 53 seconds to play, tying the score for the final time at 64.
On the ensuing possession, the Cougars got perhaps the biggest field goal of the night, a 19-footer by Reggie Owens to put Azusa up 66-64 with 27 seconds to play. The Eagles had two shots to tie the game in the final 15 seconds, a two-pointer and a three-pointer sandwiched around a free throw from Marshall Johnson, but neither shot would drop sending the Eagles to their first loss of the season.
Azusa was led by Reggie Owens with 13 points and 11 rebounds, returning All-American Dominique Johnson had 15 points, while Loyola Marymount transfer Mason Maynard chipped in 13 points and eight rebounds.
The Eagles return to action on Saturday afternoon on day two of the Cougar Classic against NAIA Division I #18 ranked Biola. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. (PST) at the Felix Events Center at Azusa Pacific.
