DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - For 29 seasons, Head Coach Steve Ridder has built the Embry-Riddle men's basketball program with a blue collar work ethic, and perhaps no game has better exemplified that mantra than the Eagles' 87-80 victory over visiting Fort Valley State on Monday night. The Eagles (6-6) had just seven players available, and were coming off less than 24 hours rest after dropping a tough game to Drury on Sunday night, but the Blue and Gold put forth one of its best efforts of the 2017-18 season, downing the Wildcats (7-6) to close out the non-conference slate and head into the holiday break with a victory.

The Eagles leaned on senior Ognjen Miljkovic, especially in the second half, and the Belgrade, Serbia native delivered, tying a career-high with 28 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out five assists. 19 of Miljkovic's 28 came in the closing period, a half that saw the Eagles go 8-for-12 from three to beat back the Wildcats who led by two at the break.

Trailing 57-52 at the 14:32 mark of the second, the Eagles got a triple from Brian Johnson and then a great pass from Joshua Hawkins to Elijah Jenkins for an easy layup following a FVSU bucket, trimming the lead to two, but the Wildcats responded, holding the Eagles at arms-length until a tip-in from Miljkovic followed by an offensive put-back dunk from Hawkins tied the game at 67-67 with eight minutes to play.

Miljkovic hit his fourth three of the night on the next Eagle possession, giving the hosts their first lead (70-67) since late in the first half. A FVSU jumper trimmed the lead to one but Jenkins answered with a triple of his own for the Blue and Gold before Nashad Mackey hit a deep three with three and a half minutes left to push the lead out to seven, 76-69.

The visitors got to within two, 78-76, on a basket-and-one from Jamaal Garror with 99 seconds to go, before Hawkins nailed his second trey of the game to grow the advantage to 81-76 before the Eagles went a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line to close out the game and get the Eagles back to .500 on the season.

ERAU trailed by two coming out of the half, but it could have been worse had Jenkins not hit a running three at the buzzer to close out the opening period. Neither team led by more than five in the first half where there were 11 lead changes and five ties. Hawkins led all scorers at the half with 12 points, while Miljkovic had nine points and seven boards as the Eagles shot just 39 percent from the field and 33 percent from deep.

ERAU won the game on the glass, outrebounding the Wildcats 44-29, including 20 offensive rebounds which led to 22 second-chance points (FVSU managed just five offensive boards and eight second-chance points). Mackey finished with 12 rebounds, while Miljkovic had 10, both finishing with double-doubles, and Hawkins registered nine boards. Hawkins had a career-high 24 points, while also assisting on three baskets and recording three steals. Koby Carlton made his first collegiate start, playing a career-high 31 minutes, going for five points, three rebounds and two steals. Jenkins finished with 11 points and four helpers for the Blue and Gold.

Embry-Riddle will take 12 days off before hosting SSC opponent Tampa on Dec. 30 at 6 p.m. in the ICI Center.

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