Embry-Riddle came up short in a fast-paced contest against Eastern Oregon on Friday afternoon, dropping an 89-81 decision at the P1FCU Activity Center. Despite leading at halftime and showcasing strong performances from multiple players, the Eagles couldn't hold off a second-half surge by the Mountaineers.

The Eagles (5-1) entered the matchup riding a five-game winning streak and looked sharp early, taking a 37-36 lead into the break. Embry-Riddle shot 48.1% from the field in the first half and knocked down three triples, while holding Eastern Oregon to just 14.3% from beyond the arc.

Key Performers

• Jacey Canalin paced the Eagles with 19 points, adding six assists and hitting three shots from deep.
• Noah Gifft contributed 13 points and six rebounds, while Matur Dhal provided an efficient 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting.
• Off the bench, Adam Mickulin gave a spark with 12 points, including two three-pointers, and Christian Wells chipped in seven points and five assists.

Embry-Riddle dominated the glass with a 38-27 rebounding advantage and converted 89.7% of its free throws (26-of-29). However, turnovers proved costly as the Eagles committed 18 giveaways, leading to 23 points for Eastern Oregon.

The Mountaineers (2-1) caught fire in the second half, shooting 65.5% from the floor and outscoring the Eagles 53-44 after the break. Despite a late push that saw Embry-Riddle cut the deficit to three with under two minutes remaining, Eastern Oregon closed the game on an 8-2 run.

Embry-Riddle will look to bounce back tomorrow when they face Lewis-Clark State College at 7:00pm Arizona time.