Embry-Riddle (AZ) men's basketball went toe-to-toe with one of the GSAC's top teams on Saturday afternoon, but a furious final-minute push wasn't enough as the Eagles fell 88–85 in the Activity Center. 

First-Half Control and Balanced Scoring

Embry-Riddle opened the afternoon with confidence, shooting 51.4% from the field in the first half and knocking down timely threes to build a 41–36 halftime lead. Christian Wells led the way early, pouring in 13 first-half points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting line, including two makes from deep. Teammate Jacey Canalin added six points before the break, while Matur Dhal chipped in four points, four boards, and a block to help stabilize the interior. 

ERAU's defensive energy also made an impact, forcing several key turnovers and generating 24 second-chance points overall—an area the Eagles controlled throughout the afternoon. 

Second-Half Shootout

The game tightened immediately after halftime as both teams traded scoring runs and lead changes—six ties and two lead changes in total. The Eagles got a spark from Noah Gifft, who scored 10 second-half points and knocked down three triples after the break, including a crucial one at the 1:36 mark to keep ERAU within striking distance. Canalin added nine more in the second period, while Peter Dress contributed seven points and key trips to the free-throw line. 

Despite ERAU's strong half offensively—44 points—Benedictine Mesa countered by shooting an impressive 60.7% from the field over the final 20 minutes, including 17 made free throws, allowing them to edge ahead in the closing minutes. 

Final-Minute Fight

Down multiple possessions in the final two minutes, the Eagles refused to fold. Gifft drilled a deep three with 17 seconds left to pull ERAU within three, 87–84, and Dress split a late free-throw trip to make it a one-possession game with 3.3 seconds remaining. But Benedictine Mesa successfully inbounded and closed the game at the stripe to preserve the narrow home win.