WINTER PARK, Fla. – Dalton Barnes scored a career-high 31 points and Ognjen Miljkovic added 20 but the Embry-Riddle men's basketball team came up short as Rollins held on for a 97-93 victory on Saturday afternoon. The Tars improve to 14-6 with the win while the Eagles fall to 11-8.
 
Barnes was efficient in scoring his 31 points, connecting on 10-of-17 field goal attempts, including 4-of-7 from behind the arc, while converting 7-of-9 free throws. Dillon Graham chipped in 16 points, five assists and a team-high six rebounds, while Reed Ridder had six points and a team-leading six assists.
 
Rollins held a slim lead through the first 10 minutes of the contest before a Miljkovic three-pointer sparked an 8-0 ERAU run that put the Blue and Gold in front for the first time, 23-21, with 8:50 to play in the first half. The Tars regained the lead just 70 seconds later and stretched the advantage to double-figures (46-36) just prior to the half and carried a 46-38 lead into the break.
 
The Tars continued to carry the momentum early in the second half, eventually pushing the margin to as many as 14 points (74-60) with 10:17 left on the clock. Rollins still held a 12-point lead (88-76) with 4:36 to play and looked to be in control of the contest. But the Eagles mounted a furious comeback over the final minutes led by Barnes, who scored 21 of his 31 points in the final 10:09 of the game. Barnes made a pair of free throws and followed with a triple on the next possession to trim the deficit to 88-81 with 2:43 left. A Barnes tip-in made it a five-point game (90-85) with 73 seconds to play and two more Barnes free throws cut it to just two points (92-90) with 29 ticks left. Daniel Kielsing calmly knocked down a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left to make it a 93-92 game, but the Eagles couldn't draw even as the Tars made their free throws and escaped with a 97-93 win.
 
The Blue and Gold return home to host Tampa on Wednesday, Feb. 3. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.