Embry-Riddle led by six midway through the second half and dominated the glass, but a last-second jumper in overtime lifted The Master's past the Eagles, 87–85, on Thursday night at the Activity Center.
From the opening tip, the two teams played like reflections of each other. Each mini-run by the Mustangs was matched by a counter from the Eagles. Neither side ever led by more than a few possessions. ERAU leaned on strong interior finishing from Jacey Canalin and steady rebounding from Christian Wells, while The Master's responded with its own slashing guards and lane activity.
When the halftime buzzer sounded, the scoreboard told the story plainly: 30–30. Nothing separated the two squads.
The first five minutes of the second half felt like a long-awaited breakthrough. ERAU's execution sharpened—ball movement crisp, rebounding dominant—and the Eagles carved out their largest lead of the night, a six-point edge, at the 18:02 mark.
While the game twisted and tightened, Adam Mickulin delivered one of the most impressive individual performances of the season. The sophomore was nearly perfect:
- 20 points
- 7-for-8 shooting
- 4-for-4 from three
- Nine rebounds
He hit momentum-flipping threes in both halves, attacked the boards like a power forward, and repeatedly steadied ERAU's offense whenever possessions got chaotic. In overtime, he tied the game twice—once on a strong driving finish, and again with a composed layup inside the final ten seconds.
a {
text-decoration: none;
color: #464feb;
}
tr th, tr td {
border: 1px solid #e6e6e6;
}
tr th {
background-color: #f5f5f5;
}
Eagle Standouts
a {
text-decoration: none;
color: #464feb;
}
tr th, tr td {
border: 1px solid #e6e6e6;
}
tr th {
background-color: #f5f5f5;
}
- Adam Mickulin (20 pts, 7–8 FG, 4–4 3PT, 9 REB) was electric off the bench, drilling four threes and finishing perfect from deep while helping ERAU to a 45–34 rebounding advantage.
- Jacey Canalin (19 pts) attacked downhill all night and hit a huge three and mid-range bucket in OT.
- Noah Gifft (12 pts, 5 REB) provided timely scoring and free throws; Christian Wells (9 pts, 9 REB) anchored the interior; Peter Dress (8 pts, 7 REB) added toughness on the glass.
- ERAU's bench delivered 33 points, matching TMU's reserves and keeping the Eagles in front for long stretches.
Up next, the Eagles will host Life Pacific on Saturday at 3pm in the Activity Center.
