DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Embry-Riddle men's basketball team couldn't give Steve Ridder a win in his 900th career game as ERAU's coach, suffering a 92-85 loss to 2015-16 Sunshine State Conference co-champion Rollins in the ICI Center on Wednesday night. The Eagles (2-1) played shorthanded as a couple of players were out sick, and despite taking a one-point lead into the halftime break, were undone by the Tars' (2-1) depth as 12 Rollins players saw action and nine played double-digit minutes.

Dalton Barnes posted a huge double-double for the home team with a season-high 26 points and career-high 15 rebounds, but the Eagles' cold-shooting from the field, and especially from deep proved to be the difference in the game. Embry-Riddle managed just 26 percent from three (11-for-43) and only 39 percent overall (30-for-77), while Rollins went for 35 percent from long range (6-for-17) and nearly 50 percent overall (32-for-65).

The contest started slowly with neither team shooting the ball well to begin with, but Rollins was able to create a little separation at the 11-minute mark on a Sam Philpott layup, making it 17-11 Tars. ERAU answered by eight straight points, starting with a layup from Barnes and a trey from Brian Johnson, as the hosts went up 19-17.

Both teams battled back-and-forth over the final 10 minutes of the first half, neither team leading by more than three. Cole Hunter gave the Blue and Gold a 32-31 advantage on two free throws with 48 seconds left, but a three from Eric Castaneda with 20 seconds remaining appeared to give the Tars some momentum heading into the lockerroom until Bradley Mapes returned the favor with a triple right before the half as the Eagles went up 35-34 at the break.

The start of the second half was much like the end of the first, with both teams trading buckets. Embry-Riddle took its biggest lead of the night when Skyler Hogan nailed a three-pointer at the 15:14 mark for a 48-44 cushion, but Rollins came right back with an 8-2 run to go in front 52-50, and the Tars would not trail for the remainder of the game.

The visitors pushed their lead to six when Philpott made a layup off a feed from Jakobi Bonner, and after a free throw from Johnson that stopped the bleeding momentarily, the Tars got two more layups from Philpott to stretch the advantage to 65-56 at the 8:37 mark.

Castaneda's trey with six and a half minutes to go gave the Tars a 70-60 lead before Hogan answered with a three of his own, but that proved to be the last three the Eagles would hit until four minutes later with the Tars leading by 13. It was Hogan that hit the triple to get the Eagles within 82-72, and after a Rollins turnover, Barnes raced down the floor on a fastbreak, but the ERAU senior was called for a charge, his fifth and final foul to send him to the bench and turn back and surge the Eagles were hoping for.

Embry-Riddle made it interesting in the final minute when a three from Hogan made it 86-80 in favor of Rollins, but the Tars iced the game six straight made free throws.

Rollins had four players in double-figures offensively, led by Philpott's 22 points. Castaneda made 12-of-14 free throws to finish with 18 points on the night while Jeff Merton and Deion Clark added 16 and 11, respectively.

For Embry-Riddle, Barnes scored 26, while Hogan finished with a double-double of his own, 18 points and 13 rebounds, and McArthur added 15 points and Johnson chipped in 13.

ERAU owned the glass for the third straight game, 57-37, and had a huge advantage in second-chance points, 30-9.

Rollins stretched its winning streak against the Eagles to eight, and gave the Eagles their first loss of the season for the second straight year.

Embry-Riddle stays at home to host another 2015-16 co-champion in Eckerd on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m.

Game Photos