ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Embry-Riddle men's basketball team showed its toughness on Saturday afternoon, surviving a comeback attempt from Eckerd to get its first road win in nearly three months, beating the Tritons 90-82. The Eagles (18-9, 10-9 SSC) lost two post players due to fouls and watched a 23-point lead shrink to five in the waning moments, but made their free throws when it mattered most to down Eckerd (8-18, 4-14 SSC), completing the season sweep of the Tritons.

Romeo Crouch reached the 20-point mark for the 13th time this season to pace the Eagles, finishing with 20 points, including a 12-for-14 effort at the free throw line. Nick Heard was also big for the Blue and Gold, scoring 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting to go along with seven rebounds, while Chris Murray nearly had a double-double with 16 points and nine boards. Both Elijah Jenkins and Tylin Lockett-Fuller scored 10 points for ERAU. 

Embry-Riddle got out to a great start, jumping out o a 21-8 lead after five minutes of play. ERAU hit its first three-pointers, but saw the 13-point lead shrink to just six after a 7-0 Triton run.

Leading 23-18 with 12:27 to play, the visitors would get big buckets from Danny Sully and Lockett-Fuller before Murray hit a three to make it 31-18. The Eagles led comfortably through much of the first period, and took an 11-point cushion into the break, 46-35.

The two teams played evenly early in the second, but a 7-0 ERAU spurt around the 18-minute mark, capped by a Heard fast break dunk, put the Eagles up 56-38.

Embry-Riddle extended the lead to the biggest it would get, 72-47 on a Jenkins jumper with just under 10 minutes to play. The Tritons would not go away however, and with four minutes to go, the Tritons went on a 15-4 run in three minutes, cutting the Eagle lead from 16 down to five with 52 seconds to go.

Forced to foul, the Tritons put Crouch on the line and the junior calmly made both to stop the bleeding. A steal by Murray on the next EC possession led to the Tritons fouling Lockett-Fuller and he also converted both free throws, pushing the lead to nine.

The Eagles would finish the game 7-for-8 at the charity stripe in the last minute, icing the game and sealing the win.

50 total fouls were called in the game, with the Eagles going 23-for-30 at the line and Eckerd finished 22-for-30. Crouch added seven assists to his 20 points, as well as four steals.

Embry-Riddle guaranteed itself a berth into the SSC Tournament with the victory and will wrap up the 2019-20 regular season on Saturday, Feb. 29 against Nova Southeastern. The Eagles will honor their lone senior, Luka Majstorovic prior to the 6 p.m. tip.