ST. JOSEPH, Missouri - Instant classics are thusly named for a reason. Sunday's NCAA II South Region men's basketball matchup between Embry-Riddle and 20th-ranked Alabama-Huntsville was the definition of an instant classic as Elijah Jenkins poured in a program record 44 points to lead the Eagles (2-0) to a 103-96 upset of the No. 20 Chargers (0-2) in both team's final game of the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.
The two teams combined for 37 triples with the Eagles accounting for 22 of them, tying the school record. Jenkins' 44 points were made up of 11 treys (tying the program record), three two-point field goals and a perfect 5-for-5 effort at the free throw line. The senior from Atlanta set the Classic record with 11 three-pointers.
The Eagles put on an absolute shooting clinic in the first half, especially over the first several minutes. ERAU started a perfect 7-for-7 from the floor, all of them behind the arc, but the Chargers were nearly as efficient on their end of the floor, and it was UAH leading 22-21 at the 13-minute mark.
The Eagles finally missed a shot, but an offensive rebound by Michael McCalister led to an open Jon Alessandro triple as the Eagles went in front 24-22.
The two teams traded buckets the rest of the first half with the majority of the damage coming from Jenkins and UAH's Chaney Johnson as each of them had 20 of their team's points in the first period.
UAH was up 31-27 when Malcolm Whitlow scored five straight for the Blue and Gold, starting with a driving layup and followed by a trey.
One of Jenkins' six first-half treys put ERAU up 37-35 with just under seven to play in the opening half, but ERAU couldn't pull away by more than a few points.
A Romeo Crouch three at the three-minute mark made it 45-41 ERAU, but the Chargers answered with a three and that was a part of nine straight made field goals between the two teams, ending on a Jenkins three to make it 52-48 before the half.
ERAU shot 56% from the field, and the same from deep, connecting on 14 first-half three-pointers. The Chargers were at 49% in the first, and added a 5-for-6 clip at the free throw line.
The start of the second half was nearly the mirror image of the first, this time the Chargers starting the period a perfect 6-for-6 from long range, going up 65-59 with 14 minutes left to play.
Jenkins was able to stop the Charger run with a jumper in the lane, and then Jenkins found Crouch for a three that got ERAU within a point at 65-64.
The Eagles and Chargers kept answering each other's buckets over the next few minutes, but midway through the half the Chargers went on a mini run, going up 83-76 after a Max Shulman fast break three.
Nikola Jerotic made a tough jump shot on the next ERAU possession, but then Chaney Johnson came back with a dunk for UAH. Johnson was whistled for a technical after a referee ruled he hung on the rim too long and Jenkins made both technical free throws to cut the Eagle deficit from 85-78 to 85-80 with six minutes to play.
Jenkins again connected on a jumper, but UAH hit a free throw and then another trey, taking an 89-82 lead with five minutes on the clock.
A missed Charger three was boarded by Jenkins and Whitlow came down on the other end, hitting from long range.
ERAU caught a break when Johnson missed a layup on the next possession and Jenkins did what he had done all night, hit a contested three to get the Eagles within one at 89-88.
Following a Johnson jumper, Jenkins answered with yet another three to tie the game. However, Johnson, a freshman, did the same as UAH enjoyed a 94-91 lead at the 2:35 mark.
Jerotic's jumper in the lane again made it a one-point game, and the Serbian did it again following a defensive stop, pushing the Blue and Gold in front by one.
Johnson made a pair of free throws to retake the lead for the Chargers with 1:18 to go, but Jenkins saved his best moment for the most crucial time, hitting a three from the corner with 61 seconds left, and earning the chance for a four-point play when he was fouled in the act of shooting..
Jenkins made the free throw as ERAU led 99-96 and the Eagle defense took over down the stretch, stopping UAH from scoring over the final minute and Jenkins made two free throws to all but seal it before Alessandro accounted for the final two points of the game at the line and the 103-96 victory.
Joining Jenkins in double-figures were Whitlow with 14 points, Crouch with 11, and Alessandro with 11. Jerotic nearly had a double-double with eight points and 10 boards, while Crouch grabbed seven rebounds, Whitlow recorded five boards, and Alessandro dished out six assists, with Jenkins adding five.
The Eagles will continue their streak of neutral site contests this coming weekend when they take part in the GSC-SSC Classic down in West Palm Beach, taking on West Georgia on Friday at 5 p.m. (ET), and then No. 22 Lee on Saturday at 2 p.m.
The 2021-22 Embry-Riddle Men's Basketball season is presented by Daytona Kia.
