DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The NAIA No. 4 Embry-Riddle Eagles used a tremendous defensive effort in the second half to come away with an 81-65 victory over NCAA III Merchant Marine (N.Y.) in the Land of Magic Classic on Saturday evening. Embry-Riddle trailed by as many as 12 points in the second half, but ended the game on a 34-6 run to down the Mariners. The Blue and Gold moves to 12-1 overall, winning its 10th consecutive contest while Merchant Marine falls to 6-4 overall.
The Eagles jumped out to an early 13-5 lead thanks to a
Daniel Mondragon trey, but the Mariners answered with a three-pointer of their own from Scott Dennin, cutting the Eagle lead to 13-8 at the 15:13 mark in the first half.
Another Mondragon three put the hosts up 26-19 with 7:32 remaining in the half, but Reed Buck delivered a long range make in USMMA's next trip down the court to spark an 8-0 run that allowed the visitors to grab a one-point lead with 5:51 left in the first.
Mondragon hit his third three of the game with just over three minutes left to give Embry-Riddle a three-point advantage, however, Merchant Marine ended the half on a 12-5 run, including eight free throws to take a 43-36 lead into the halftime break.
The Mariners shot 46 percent from behind the arc in the first period, making six of their 13 attempts, and added 11 free throws in the half. Buck scored 19 points for the visitors on 7-for-14 shooting from the floor. Mondragon had 13 points for the hosts while
Cesar Pastrana chipped in eight at the break.
The second half opened much like the first ended, with the Mariners holding onto a comfortable advantage until a David Smith layup at 13:07 gave Head Coach Danny Nee's squad an 11-point cushion at 58-47.
Smith's layup would prove to be a defining moment in the contest as the Eagles did not allow the Mariners to record another made field goal the rest of the way, outscoring the visitors 34-6 over the final 13 minutes, all six points coming at the free throw line for Merchant Marine.
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DeForest Carter layup cut the USMMA lead to 10 before the Montverde, Fla. sophomore cut into the Eagle deficit with a steal and breakaway dunk.
Billy Serle's three-pointer with 10:05 left brought the Eagles within five at 61-56 and his brother,
Brandon Serle, delivered another trey with 7:44 remaining to cut the lead to three at 64-61.
Mondragon found a cutting Carter on the baseline with seven minutes left and Carter made a layup and the subsequent free throw after he was fouled by Merchant Marine, tying the game at 64-64.
Mondragon and
Brandon Serle both hit threes and Pastrana managed a layup on the next three Embry-Riddle possessions as the Eagles took an eight-point lead with 4:45 remaining.
Embry-Riddle hit enough free throws down the stretch to extend the lead to 13 with just over a minute left in the half and Mondragon finished off his career-high night with a three-pointer with 33 seconds to account for the final.
The Eagles held the Mariners to 26 percent from the floor in the second half and just 11 percent from beyond the arc.
Mondragon scored 24 points, burrying six three-pointers and dishing out seven assists for the hosts while Carter scored 20 and recorded six steals for the Eagles.
Buck finished with 31 for Merchant Marine, the only Mariner in double-figures.
The Eagles take on SUNY Cortland tomorrow, Sunday, Dec. 30 at 6 p.m. in the Land of Magic Classic finale.
