Embry-Riddle mounted a second-half comeback but came up just short, falling 78-74 to Justice on Friday night. The Eagles outscored the hosts 44-38 after halftime, erasing an 18-point deficit to pull within two in the final seconds, but couldn't complete the rally.

Justice built a 40-30 lead at the break behind strong inside play and timely shooting. Embry-Riddle struggled early, hitting just 32.3% from the field in the first half, but found its rhythm after intermission. The Eagles shot 37.5% in the second half and converted 16-of-20 free throws to fuel the comeback.

Key Performers:

• Noah Gifft led the Eagles with 15 points, including 10-of-11 from the free-throw line, and added seven rebounds.
• Jacey Canalin sparked the second-half surge, scoring all 13 of his points after halftime and knocking down two clutch threes.
• Peter Dress and Christian Wells chipped in 10 points each, while Dress grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds.
• Off the bench, Lex Clontz provided 11 points and a big three-pointer during the rally.

Embry-Riddle trailed 58-40 with 12:12 remaining but clawed back behind aggressive defense and transition play. A three-pointer by Canalin with 13 seconds left cut the margin to 76-74, but Justice sealed the win at the line.

The Eagles finished 22-of-63 (34.9%) from the field and 6-of-24 (25%) from beyond the arc, while Justice shot 47.7% overall and dominated the paint with 46 points inside. Embry-Riddle held a slight edge on the glass (41-40) and scored 16 points off turnovers.

ERAU will play again on January 8th as the Eagles head to California to continue GSAC play against The Master's University.