AZUSA, Calif. – The Embry-Riddle men's basketball team put forth a valiant effort, but in the end the Blue and Gold could not get by NAIA Division I No. 8 Azusa Pacific (4-1), falling 88-80 to the Cougars on Friday. For the second game in a row, Ray Graham led all players in scoring and on the boards, tallying 22 points and 14 rebounds as the Blue and Gold evened its record at 4-4 on the year.
 
In contrast to their last game on Wednesday, the Eagles got off to a strong start. APU's Anthony Johnson opened the scoring with a three-pointer, but Deforest Carter answered immediately with a long-range basket of his own to tie the score early on. Back-to-back lay-ups by Carter and Jason Powell gave the Eagles a four-point (7-3) lead. The Cougars quickly closed the gap and over the next six minutes, both teams went back and forth with neither side taking more than a three-point advantage.
 
At the 11:23 mark, Jeremiah Applin hit one of the Eagles' five first-half three-point baskets to put ERAU up 23-21. The Cougars managed to pull within a point on a free throw, but were unable to add to their tally on any of their next five trips down the floor. The Eagles did not allow the Cougars many second-chance opportunities, outdoing APU 22-15 on the boards. After grabbing three defensive rebounds in a row, the Eagles got the ball to Brandon Serle and the freshman hit a jumper in the paint and converted on the free throw after being fouled on the play to increase the lead to four (26-22).  On the next possession, the Eagles found Serle again and this time the freshman delivered from the perimeter to put the Eagles up by five (29-24).
 
With 7:25 left in the half, the Cougars went on a mini-run of their own and reclaimed a one-point lead (32-31). Once again, a see-saw battle ensued and at the end of the first half, which featured two ties and 13 lead changes, it was the Eagles who held a one-point lead at 41-40.
 
The Eagles began the second half with the basketball and after a Graham miss, Sam Ford was on hand for the rebound and tip-in to make the score 43-40 in favor of the Blue and Gold. That score was the start of a 10-4 run that extended the Eagle cushion to nine points (53-44) with 17:12 left to play.
 
Over the next three minute, the Cougars managed to chip away at the lead and knotted the score at 53-53 with 13:41 remaining in the contest. ERAU, behind a solid free throw shooting performance from Graham who was 12-of-13 from the charity stripe on the night, was able to move ahead again and led 67-60 with 8:15 left in the contest.
 
A free throw by Johnson at the 7:52 mark, sparked a 10-3 APU run. With 4:42 left, Johnson grabbed an offensive rebound and finished the lay-up to give the lead back to the home team, a lead they didn't relinquish for the remainder of the contest.
 
Carter  and Blake Touchard also posted double-digit scoring performances with 14 points apiece. Touchard, playing in his hometown in front of family and friends, also dished out a season-high eight assists in the Eagle effort.
 
Johnson finished with a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Cougars who improved their overall record to 4-1.
 
The Eagles return to the friendly confines of the ICI Center at 7 p.m. on Wednesday when they host St. Thomas in the first Sun Conference contest of the 2011-12 slate.