TAMPA, Florida - The Embry-Riddle men's basketball team dropped its second straight heartbreaker on Saturday afternoon to the University of Tampa, 78-77. The Eagles (6-2, 1-2 SSC) gave up a 10-point lead with six minutes to play, but forced overtime against the Spartans (2-5, 2-1 SSC) where the Spartans got the benefit of a late foul call with 1.1 seconds left to earn the one-point win.

The Eagles exploded out of the gates, making their first three shots for a 6-0 lead, capped by a Michael McCalister dunk following a UT turnover. The home team responded with a quick 5-0 spurt to cut the lead to one, but the Blue and Gold then scored nine of the next 11 points, going up 15-7 at the 15-minute mark.

ERAU dominated the glass in the first 15 minutes of the game, at one point holding a 20-8 edge on the boards. One of those rebounds led to an easy put back for Danny Sully at the 10:19 mark, pushing ERAU's lead to 25-15, and McCalister's trey just 40 seconds later gave the Eagles a 13-point advantage.

With nine minutes to play in the half play was stopped to try and fix a bad clock at the Martinez Center, a break that lasted for more than five minutes before play was resumed. The stoppage did little to slow the Eagles' momentum as Jack Dillard came off the bench to score six quick points for a 40-27 Eagle lead.

The final three points of the half came at the free throw line for the Blue and Gold and the visitors enjoyed a 45-31 lead at the end of 20 minutes.

Coming out of the break the Eagles struggled shooting the ball, hitting just one of their first seven shots before Whitlow came up with a steal on the defensive end, going coast-to-coast, hitting a runner and drawing a foul before completing the and-one for a 50-40 Eagle lead.

Unfortunately that seemed to spark the home team as the Spartans went on a 9-2 run over the next two minutes. It was Whitlow again for the Eagles with a jumper in the lane to stop the run, and then the Eagle guard found Sully with a great pass leading to a dunk. Sully went 1-for-2 at the free throw line on the next ERAU possession for a 57-51 lead at the 11:30 mark.

At the under-eight minute media timeout the visitors led 61-54, holding the Spartans scoreless over the previous three-plus minutes. ERAU's possession coming out of the timeout was crucial, and it came thanks to an offensive rebound from Chris Murray. After an initial Eagle miss, Murray saved the ball in and the Eagles were able to get Dillard a clean look on the wing where the freshman buried his second triple of the day to give the Eagles a 64-54 lead.

The Spartans wouldn't go away however, and their 11-2 run over the next few minutes made it a one point game at 66-65 with two minutes left.

ERAU got several great looks at the basket but couldn't find one to fall, and a Spartan layup on their next trip down the floor gave the home team their first lead of the game.

UT hit one free throw to go up 68-66 with 19 seconds left and the Eagles went to Murray to try and tie things up. The senior was fouled with 4.5 seconds left, calmly sinking both without hitting the rim to tie the game. Dru Nickson poked the ball out of a Spartan's hands as they were trying for the game-winner, and Whitlow grabbed the loose ball, sending the game to overtime.

Whitlow took over in OT, scoring the first two buckets for a 72-68 lead, and Murray's turnaround jumper with 3:12 left in the period pushed the Eagles up 74-70.

A Spartan three-pointer made it a one point game before Whitlow made a free throw and then found McCalister for a layup and a 77-73 lead.

UT hit another three with 45 seconds left to cut the Eagle lead to 77-76 before ERAU turned the ball over on the next possession.

Eagles got the stop they needed, but a very late whistle sent a Spartan to the line where he made both free throws.

ERAU got a decent look after a baseball pass from Nickson found McCalister, but the sophomore's turnaround three was off line and Tampa held on for the 78-77 win.

Whitlow finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and three assists, while Murray went for 18 points, and McCalister registered a double-double of 11 points and 14 boards.

The Eagles will return to Daytona Beach to host Lynn on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the ICI Center.

The 2022-23 Embry-Riddle Men's Basketball season is presented by Daytona Kia.