DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – In a contest designated as the 'Coaches Fighting Cancer Game', the Embry-Riddle men's basketball team survived a late rally from Ave Maria (12-9, 2-6) to top the Gyrenes in Sun Conference action on Saturday. Both teams joined other basketball programs around the country in the fight against cancer and in support of the National Association of Basketball Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Awareness program, both coaching staffs wore sneakers instead of dress shoes with their usual game attire.

The win was the 14th of the season for the Eagles (14-8) who improved to 5-3 in league play with the win. The Eagles shot 51.9 percent (28-of-54) from the field and were led by seniors Ray Graham (18 pts) and Blake Touchard (17 points). ERAU also bested the Gyrenes 37-26 on the boards, led by Graham, who had a game-high nine rebounds, followed by Jason Powell with eight and Touchard with six. Touchard also added six assists and five steals while DeForest Carter rounded out the Eagle scorers in double figures with 12 points and five assists.

Graham started the scoring for the Eagles with an emphatic dunk on a feed from Touchard just 12 seconds into the contest. From that point, both teams traded baskets until the 12:35 mark when Wendell Powell II made a layup that put the Gyrenes up 9-7. Two possessions later, AMU enjoyed its largest lead of the half (12-7) courtesy of Dycus Juste's three-pointer.

After coming up empty on six straight possessions over a four-minute stretch, the Eagles were finally able add to their score when Justin Bozzelli grabbed an offensive rebound and finished the layup. The sophomore followed that with a three-pointer to register the fifth tie of the night with 9:39 left in the half.

Another trey by Juste put the Gyrenes out in front once again and they remained ahead until the 3:59 mark when a Billy Serle basket triggered an 11-3 run that gave the Eagles an eight-point (36-28) advantage, and at the half, the home team led 38-33.

The start of the second frame saw the Blue and Gold register eight unanswered points, six of which were scored by Graham, to widen the gap to 13 (46-33) with 18 minutes left in the contest. The Eagles maintained a double-digit lead for the majority of the half, but with 1:29 showing on the clock, Dycus Juste hit a three-pointer to make it a 10-point game and that basket started an AMU rally. The Gyrenes got the ball back right after the Juste basket on an ERAU turnover and Matt Chattin got the steal and finished the layup to cut the lead to eight. Chattin was active on the next Eagle possession and after grabbing the steal on the inbounds pass, he converted on another basket to make it a six-point game (72-66) with 1:06 left to play.

The AMU surge prompted ERAU Head Coach Steve Ridder to call a timeout and coming out of the huddle, the Eagles got the ball to Daniel Mondragon who went to the free throw line after being fouled by Kiel Lewis. The junior knocked down both free throws to put ERAU  back up by eight, but the Gyrenes continued to battle and Akii Dean got a basket and a free throw to narrow the gap to five (74-69) with 49 seconds left.

On the Eagles' next trip down the court, Touchard was fouled and the senior scored twice from the charity stripe to build the lead back up to seven, but once again the Gyrenes got an answer from Dean to make the score (76-71). The Gyrenes employed the full-court press on the Eagles' next inbounds play in an effort to force another Eagle turnover, but Carter threw the ball the length of the court to Mondragon for the easy layup to put the Eagles back up by seven (78-71). AMU wasn't able to score on their next three possessions and the Eagles made four of their last six free throws down the stretch to come away with the win.

The Eagles return to the court at 7 p.m. on Monday when they host conference foe Webber International at the ICI Center. Monday's game will also feature a wrap-up of Saturday's Coaches Fighting Cancer activities. At the half, there will be a 50-50 raffle as well as a chance for fans to win gift certificates to Vince Carter's restaurant and a pair of sneakers autographed by Ridder and worn by the ERAU head coach in the Coaches Fighting Cancer game.