DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The NAIA II ninth-ranked Embry-Riddle Eagles were hoping to avoid their first five-game losing skid since the 1994-95 season on Saturday evening, and they did just that, downing Warner, 71-64 at the ICI Center. The Eagles have matched their 2011-12 season win output (17) with seven games remaining on the regular season slate; they move to 17-5 overall and even their Sun Conference record at 4-4. The Royals drop to 12-9 overall and 1-6 in the league.
Steve Ridder's squad led by as many as 19 in the second half, but saw a Royal comeback that cut the lead to five on several occassions down the stretch. However, the Eagles were able to hold on, converting all six of their free throws in the final minute to come away with the seven-point victory.
The lead changed 13 times, all within the first 15 minutes of the contest, and was tied six times, including the last at 29-29 with 2:35 showing on the clock in the first half.
Neither team led by more than three in the early going, but a three-ball from the Eagles'
DeForest Carter put the hosts up by two at 19-17 a little over 10 minutes left in the first.
A six-point swing in the Royals' favor gave them a four-point advantage, and a trey from Halstead Chiverton at the 8:27 mark extended the Warner lead to a game-high five at 26-21.
The Eagles ended the half on a 14-2 run, fueled in large part by offensive rebounding.
Daniel Kiesling, getting the first start of his Eagle career, started the run with a layup at the five-minute mark and
Rico Saldana followed with a tip-in just a mintue later to give Embry-Riddle a 29-27 lead. After Bryce Kachinski knotted the score with a made jumper,
Jason Powell hit a pair of free throws and a jumper for the Blue and Gold as his team took a four-point lead under 60 seconds left. Carter made two free throws and another offensive rebound led to a Kiesling layup as time expired to extend the Eagle lead to eight at the break, 37-29.
Powell had 11 for the hosts at the half, with the Eagles shooting 42 percent from the floor and holding the Royals to just 33 percent.
Daniel Mondragon hit a three off a Carter pass to push the lead to double-digits for Embry-Riddle at the 18:22 mark in the second, and a
Cesar Pastrana layup caused Warner's Sean Hanrahan to call a timeout as his team trailed by 12 with 17 minutes remaining in regulation.
Back-to-back makes from downtown via Powell and
Sam Ford gave the Eagles an 18-point cushion, 50-32 with under 14 minutes left, and the home team held a comfortable lead for the next eight minutes.
Kiesling hit a pair from the charity stripe for the biggest lead of the night, 60-41 with seven minutes left, but a 16-3 Warner run over the next five minutes cut the Royal deficit to just six, 63-57 with 1:51 on the clock.
Following two Powell free throws, Kachinski hit his second three of the night to bring his team within five, 65-60, but Pastrana made four consecutive free throws and Carter made two of his own to seal the win for Embry-Riddle.
Powell scored 19 points for the fourth time in the 2013 calendar year, matching a career-high. He also pulled down nine rebounds which were a game-high along with Pastrana's nine boards. Carter added 13 points, seven assists, five rebounds and two blocks, and Pastrana finished with 10 points for the Eagles.
Embry-Riddle rejected eight Warner shots and held the Royals to a 34 percent clip from the field and a 27 percent clip from long range. The Eagles shot 47 percent from three and 44 percent from the field overall.
The Eagles' next game is Wednesday, Jan. 23 at Florida Memorial in Opa Locka, Fla. Game time is 7 p.m.
