DAYTONA BEACH, Florida - The free throw line was the story for most of Embry-Riddle men's basketball's 93-90 victory on Friday night over Thomas in the final game of day one of the 2022 Embry-Riddle Holiday Classic. At first it looked like the Eagles (8-2) shooting from the charity stripe would be their undoing against the Night Hawks (11-3), missing 13 free throws through the contest's first 39 minutes and 30 seconds. However, the hosts went 4-for-4 from the free throw line, scoring the game's final four points en route to the three-point win over the NAIA squad.
Chris Murray was just one off his career high on Friday, finishing with 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists and was +21 during his 22 minutes of action.
Malcolm Whitlow scored 19 points with three assists and two steals, while
Michael McCalister registered his fourth double-double of the year with 12 points and 13 boards.
The Eagles shot 59% for the game, and started the contest off on the right foot, racing out to a 17-7 lead on a
Wesley Simpson jumper with 12 minutes to play in the first. The Eagle advantage would stay comfortable over the next few minutes until around the nine-minute mark.
ERAU led 27-16 before the visitors reeled off 14 straight points, capped by a Keon Williams three-pointer to give the Night Hawks a 30-27 lead at the 5:47 mark.
Jared Berry stopped the bleeding with a great drive to the rim, and a moment later
Jack Dillard nailed a triple to knot the score at 32-32.
The Eagles took a narrow advantage and 37-36, but ended the period on a strong note, outscoring Thomas 8-0 over the final two minutes to take a 45-36 lead into the break.
ERAU went 10-for-18 at the free throw line in the first half, but thanks to a 61.5% clip from the floor, the Eagles owned the nine-point cushion.
The start of the second half was to the Eagles' liking as the pushed their nine-point lead out to 13 when
Dru Nickson made a pair of free throws, but starting at the 16:02 mark the visitors once again put together a sustained run, a 16-5 spurt that cut the Eagle lead down to just two at 62-60. The Night Hawks took a 68-66 lead on a Williams jumper a few minutes later, but McCalister had the answer with a corner three to retake the lead for the Blue and Gold.
Embry-Riddle pushed the lead out to 76-70, but it was another TU run that brought the Night Hawks back into the game. The visitors outscored ERAU 10-1 over the next three minutes, taking an 80-77 lead with 4:30 left to play.
Simpson came through with a momentous and-one to tie the game, but the Night Hawks went right back up by three with a trey before the final media timeout of the evening.
Murray scored the next four points, giving ERAU an 84-83 lead at the 3:10 mark, but Williams' sixth three of the game pushed the visiting team in front 86-84.
It was Dillard's time to come up big for the home team, and the Jacksonville native did that with a three right in front of the ERAU bench as the Eagles regained a one-point lead, 87-86 with 2:46 on the clock.
A pair of Murray free throws on the next ERAU possession pushed the lead to 89-86 before the Night Hawks hit a jumper in the paint and then held ERAU scoreless over its next two possessions, retaking the lead with 1:13 left on two free throws from Tim Williamson.
The Eagles had a chance to tie and even take the lead at the free throws line with 55 seconds to play, but the hosts came up empty. The Blue and Gold forced a missed jumper from Williamson with 27 seconds left and Williamson committed a rebounding foul against Murray, sending the Eagle senior to the line for two.
Murray, who finished the night with a career-high in both free throw makes (14) and attempts (19), calmly hit both to give the Eagles a 91-90 lead, and after Williams missed a corner three with 14 seconds to go, Simpson grabbed the board, finding Whitlow in the backcourt where he was fouled. Whitlow, like Murray, connected on both his shots from the line and the Night Hawks' final attempt from long range was off the mark, thanks to a block from Nickson and the Eagles held on, 93-90.
Embry-Riddle shot a season-high 59% from the floor, out-rebounding their 10th straight opponent (40-28).
Joining Murray, Whitlow and McCalister in double-figures were Nickson with 11 points, four rebounds and three helpers, and Simpson, who finished with an ERAU-career best 12 points.
The Eagles take on Tusculum on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. The Pioneers fell to Daniel Mondragon's Davis & Elkins squad in the day's opener, 59-54.
The 2022-23 Embry-Riddle Men's Basketball season is presented by Daytona Kia.
