by FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The NAIA II No. 13 Embry-Riddle men’s basketball team led for nearly the entire 40 minutes on Tuesday evening in a convincing 79-63 win at NCAA II Nova Southeastern at the NSU Arena. The Eagles improved to 7-0 on the season as the Sharks fell to 1-2 in 2014-15. The game was a preview of a bi-annual matchup starting next season when the Eagles begin playing a full Sunshine State Conference schedule.
Reigning Sun Conference Player of the Week Cesar Pastrana scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Blue and Gold, registering the first double-double for ERAU this season, while fellow senior DeForest Carter (Seminole Tribe of Florida) scored 20 and dished out seven assists and grabbed five rebounds.
Embry-Riddle was dominant on defense against the Sharks, holding NSU to just 36 percent from the floor, outrebounding the hosts 36-24, including 14 offensive rebounds, eight grabbed by Pastrana.
A sloppy first few minutes resulted in a scoreless game almost two minutes into the game, but Harrison Goodrick’s layup gave the Sharks their only lead of the night at 2-0.
Pastrana started the Eagle scoring with a layup at the 17:37 mark and Carter scored the first of his points on a three-pointer to put ERAU up 5-2 on the next Embry-Riddle possession.
Leading 11-8, the Eagles went on a 12-0 run with three-balls from Reed Ridder and Daniel Kiesling in addition to layups from Dalton Barnes and Joseph Gonzalez to push the lead to 23-8 midway through the opening period.
Embry-Riddle maintained a comfortable lead over the next few minutes and went up 12 (32-20) on a Barnes’ jumper in the lane. NSU cut the lead to nine at the break when Troy Spears converted a jump shot with 10 seconds left as ERAU took a 36-27 cushion into the half.
Coming out of the locker room, the Sharks were able to get within seven on a pair of Stian Berg free throws, cutting the lead to 41-34, but ERAU quickly responded, reeling off eight straight points to go back up 15, capped by a Pastrana layup from a Kiesling assist.
NSU would not be able to cut the lead to single-digits the rest of the night as the Eagles offense and defense kept chugging away, answering any Nova Southeastern run with one of their own.
With less than nine minutes left and as the Eagles led 59-46, Carter drove to the hoop, making a layup and absorbing a foul, converting the three-point play opportunity for a 16-point lead.
Embry-Riddle iced the game on a Jason Powell jumper with 4:17 left, going up 14 points at 70-56, cruising to the 79-63 final.
ERAU finished at 53 percent for the game and 46 percent from long range with Pastrana, Carter and Barnes (11) in double-figures.
Embry-Riddle travels to Berea, Ky. on Saturday, Nov. 29 for a matchup against NCAA III Berea, Head Coach Steve Ridder’s alma mater. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
