FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle women's basketball team turned in a strong second-half performance after trailing at halftime, but ultimately fell to 10th-ranked Nova Southeastern 63-53 on the road on Saturday.
 
Sabrina Whiting led all players with her season-high 27-point output as the Blue and Gold fell to 3-8, while the Sharks improved to 12-1 on the year.
 
NSU went on a 14-2 run to open the game and by the end of the second period, the hosts held a 20-point (40-20) lead over the visiting Eagles.
 
The second half saw ERAU improve its field goal percentage to 44.83 percent after shooting just 22.86 percent in the first 20 minutes of play. Coming out of the halftime break, the Eagles put together a run of their own and with 3:19 left in the third quarter, they managed to cut the lead to 10 points (45-35).
 
The Sharks were able to halt the Eagle rally in the closing minutes of the third period and scored six unanswered during that stretch to build the lead to 51-35. The home squad carried that momentum into the final period of play and regained their 20-point advantage, but back-to-back buckets by Taylor Cyphers, including her third trey of the season, sparked another ERAU run that pulled the Eagles back within 10 (59-49) with 1:55 left to play.
 
The Eagle defense limited the Sharks to just two field goals and two free throws in the final 5:14 and the offense outscored NSU 18-12 in the final quarter, but ERAU was unable to further narrow the margin, falling to the Sharks in the first meeting between the two schools.
 
The Eagles will be back in the ICI Center at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday to host Florida Southern.