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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Athletics

McCalister_112523_IMG_4853
Cornnell Chu
69
Fort Lauderdale FLL 2-3
96
Winner Embry-Riddle ERAUM 5-1
Fort Lauderdale FLL
2-3
69
Final
96
Embry-Riddle ERAUM
5-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Fort Lauderdale FLL 26 43 69
Embry-Riddle ERAUM 51 45 96

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Kyrin Mayfield | @k_mayfield97

Men’s Basketball Thumps Fort Lauderdale 96-69

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Michael McCalister matched his career best in points with 21 to help lead the Embry-Riddle men's basketball team to a 96-69 win over Fort Lauderdale on Saturday afternoon. The win moved ERAU's win streak to five games before the start of Sunshine State Conference play next weekend. It was the first ever meeting between the two programs. 

Embry-Riddle (5-1) shot 54.8 percent from the floor and held Fort Lauderdale (2-3) to a field goal percentage of 42.9. ERAU outrebounded UFL 45-30 and picked up its most blocks in a single game in 2023 with six.

The contest began as the Michael McCalister show as the junior scored 13 of Embry-Riddle's first 15 points. A missed 3-pointer to begin the game was rebounded offensively by McCalister, allowing him to go in for the putback. Seconds later, McCalister stole the inbound pass and immediately made another layup for a quick 4-0 lead just 25 seconds in. A lay-in by Dru Nickson gave the home team six unanswered points to start the game, but Fort Lauderdale responded with a pair of close-range shots to make the score 6-4 with 18:22 to go.

The next nine ERAU points came from McCalister as the Ocoee, Florida native took control of the contest to send the Blue and Gold on an 18-2 run that included an emphatic dunk 3:33 into the game. Nickson also connected on a pair of 3-pointers to increase Embry-Riddle's lead to 24-6. During that span, Cameron Shockley-Okeke collected an offensive rebound mid-air and slammed it home with one hand for an emphatic dunk. 

From there, the Blue and Gold defense took over, forcing Fort Lauderdale to go 3-for-10 from the floor over the last six minutes of the half. Dru Nickson knocked down a tip-in and a pair of 3-pointers to aid ERAU on a 13-4 run to lengthen the lead up to 24 points (42-18) with 4:54 remaining in the half. Jon Alessandro nailed a shot from downtown to push the home team's lead to its highest point in the half at 27, but Fort Lauderdale converted on a jumper with three seconds left to make the score 51-26 into the break. 

McCalister and Nickson combined for 33 points in the first half with the former grabbing seven rebounds as ERAU shot 54.6 percent as a team and kept Fort Lauderdale from hitting a 3-pointer in the entire period. 

Both squads started the second half cold, making just one of their first five shots each. Fort Lauderdale held the momentum early on, cutting ERAU's lead to 23 points with a 6-1 run with 14:32 left, but Shockley-Okeke and Alessandro connected on shots from behind the arc to balloon the Blue and Gold's lead up to 31. 

Though Fort Lauderdale brought ERAU's advantage back to just 24, Jack Klinger asserted his dominance by scoring seven points in the span of two minutes to take it back to a 31 point lead, which soon after grew to 33 on a David Velasco layup with 7:12 to go, and Embry-Riddle was able to cruise from there on out.

McCalister matched his career high in points with 21 and registered his first double-double of the season with a season-high 10 rebounds. Nickson provided 18 points and a team-high five assists. Klinger set personal best marks in points (12) and blocks (3). Nikola Jerotic racked up 10 rebounds along with four points. Shockley-Okeke provided a well-rounded performance of eight points, four assists, and a season-high seven boards. Velasco set a career best in points with 10, and Calvin Freeman II's three points and two rebounds were both season highs. 

The Eagles begin SSC action next Saturday, Dec. 2 at Florida Southern at 7:30 p.m.
The 2023-24 Embry-Riddle men's basketball season is presented by Daytona Kia.
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