DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -
Nick Heard put on a show for the nearly 1,500 fans in attendance at the ICI Center on Wednesday night, breaking the Embry-Riddle men's basketball single-game record with 11 made three-pointers en route to a career-high 35 points as Embry-Riddle breezed by Rollins, 98-81, snapping a three-game skid. The Eagles (14-6, 6-6 SSC) made 19 triples and shot 62 percent from the floor overall, while Rollins (10-9, 4-7 SSC) couldn't keep pace as ERAU completed the season sweep of the Tars.
Heard went 11-for-14 from deep, breaking the program record of nine made three-pointers set by three players (Kyle Mas, Ryan Exter,
Elijah Jenkins), finishing with 35 points, the most by an Eagle this season, and sixth-highest point total in school history. His 11 treys is the second-most in a NCAA II game this year.
Joining Heard offensively was
Luka Majstorovic with 17 points to go along with seven boards and five blocks, while
Romeo Crouch had a double-double of 14 points and 11 assists.
As a team, the Eagles made 19 three-pointers, the third-most in Blue and Gold history, and also finished 11-for-11 at the free throw line, the second-most made free throws without a miss in 32 seasons.
The game started with a Heard three and the Eagles never looked back, going up 15-5 on another Heard triple at the 16-minute mark. Rollins got back to within a point on a Jakobi Bonner three a few moments later, but Majstorovic's layup broke the Rollins run and the Eagles were able to extend the lead out to eight at 32-24 on a Jenkins jumper from deep.
After Jenkins' three, Heard hit back-to-back from long range before Crouch added one of his own and the Eagles suddenly were up 41-24. ERAU would go on to finish a 19-0 run and led it 48-24 with just under four minutes to play in the half.
Tylin Lockett-Fuller ended the period with his own three-pointer as Embry-Riddle took a 51-30 lead into the break.
Heard had 21 points at the break, going 7-for-8 from three.
Embry-Riddle controlled the second half, going up as many as 27 points, and despite the visitors getting within 16 on a couple of possessions, the result was never really in doubt as ERAUÂ coasted to the 18-point win.
In the two-game season series against Rollins, Heard has averaged 28.5 points and shot 80 percent from three.
Embry-Riddle returns to the road when they take on seventh-ranked Florida Southern on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Lakeland.