GEORGETOWN, Ky. – The fifth-ranked Embry-Riddle men's basketball team rebounded from a tough loss on Friday to top NAIA Division I No. 21 Life 82-72 in the consolation game of the Jim Reid Classic on Saturday. David Butler led the way for ERAU with a 28-point, 14-rebound game and bettered the single-game block record (8) he set a year ago with nine blocks against the Running Eagles.

Junior Ray Graham also turned a double-double performance with 16 points and 10 boards, and joined Butler as an All-Tournament team selection. Glenn Dalcourt added points, while Jarod Leonard provided a spark off the bench with a 14-point, three-rebound outing.

The first half of play was characterized by end-to-end action as neither team was able to pull ahead by more than four points in the first 16 minutes of play in a period that featured six ties and seven lead changes. At the 2:11 mark, Glenn Dalcourt got the ball to Josh Seidel and the sophomore made good on his first attempt off the bench, knocking down a three to give the Blue and Gold a 33-30 advantage. The long-range shot sparked a run for Embry-Riddle who closed out the first half with seven unanswered points for a 37-30 lead at the break.

Life was unable to find success on its first four possessions, thanks in part to blocks by Butler and Blake Touchard. On the other side of the ball, Graham converted on back-to-back field goals to swell the Eagle lead to 11 (41-30). As the half progressed, the Blue and Gold steadily padded its cushion and at the 13:16 mark, ERAU enjoyed its largest lead of the game of 17 points (60-43).

Embry-Riddle seemed to have the game in hand, but Life had other ideas and slowly whittled away at the lead. A Tony Reese layup at the 10:21 mark triggered 12-4 Life run that cut the lead to seven. ERAU was able to go back up by nine, but with 3:55 left to play, Ramon Walker hit back-to-back free throws to make it a four-point (70-66) game. The late surge put the Eagles back on their heels and even a timeout could not stem the tide as the Running Eagles still managed to pull within three (75-72) with 2:07 left on the clock.

With 1:44 left to play, Butler grabbed a rebound on Walker miss at the free throw line and got the ball to Touchard and the Eagles took their time setting up the play. Touchard eventually found Dalcourt on the wing and the senior gave ERAU a huge lift by burying his second three of the contest to put the Blue and Gold up by six (78-72).

On the subsequent Life possession, the Eagles defensive pressure forced PJ Meyers to turn over the basketball. Dalcourt's attempt to get to the basket on the ensuing Eagle possession was hindered by Reese who committed a foul. Dalcourt knocked down both attempts from the charity stripe to make it an eight point game.

Embry-Riddle struggled from the free throw line down the stretch, managing just one of six tries in the last 31 seconds, but a strong finish on the defensive boards helped ERAU pull out the 10-point win.

The Eagles are back in action at 7 p.m. on Tuesday when they travel to Temple Terrace, Fla. to take on Florida College.