DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Embry-Riddle men's basketball team had its final preseason tune-up on Saturday night in the ICI Center, falling to NAIA II Warner, 86-81 behind a 42-point effort from the Royals' Warren Hall and 15 total three-pointers from the visitors. The Eagles were able to erase a 10-point second half deficit and go up by one at 61-60 at the 11:17 mark, but the Royals finished the game on a 26-17 run to down the hosts and avenge an 82-80 exhibition loss last season at the hands of the Blue and Gold.
Despite not starting for Warner, Hall scored 42 points on 15-of-28 shooting from the field and 6-of-9 shooting at the free throw line. Hall was responsible for six of the Royals' 15 triples on the night as WU shot 50 percent from long range, and 53 percent from the field in total.
The Eagles got big games from senior
Dalton Barnes (21 points, eight rebounds, six assists), sophomore
Skyler Hogan (17 points, six rebounds, two assists) and redshirt-freshman
Luka Majstorovic (16 point, nine rebounds, two blocks), but couldn't overcome the hot-shooting Royals.
A steal-and-score from
Brian Johnson at the 17:55 mark of the first half gave the Eagles an 8-4 lead, and ERAU was able to go up by as many as seven when Majstorovic made a layup with 13:21 left in the half, but Warner chipped away and went up 24-22 on a Hall three with 7:31 on the clock and took a 41-38 advantage into the halftime break.
Warner came out of the lockerrroom and pushed the lead to double-digits on an Andrew Lamb layup just four minutes into the period, but the home team roared back, sparked by a
Cole Hunter three that started a 15-4 run, capped by a
Shaquan McArthur jumper in the paint with 11:17 on the clock. Hall put the Royals back in front on the next Warner possession and the Eagles would never get closer than three over the final nine minutes.
The Eagles outrebounded the visitors 47-30, and doubled up Warner 20-10 in second-chance points, but ERAU shot just 44 percent from the floor and 36 percent from long range, making 9-for-25 from deep.
The Eagles open the 2016-17 season for real on Nov. 11 when ERAU hosts Ave Maria in the ICI Center for a 7 p.m. tip while celebrating Veterans Day.
Game Photos
