DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 22, 2025) - Men's basketball gained a late lead, but wasn't able to hold on as they fell to the Embry-Riddle Eagles by a score of 90-87 on Saturday. Rollins falls to 16-11 (9-9 SSC) on the year while the Eagles improve to 17-9 (11-7 SSC).
Rollins got off to a slow start, spotting Embry-Riddle a 7-0 lead in the first two minutes. They quickly turned the tables though, ripping off eight straight points to take the lead.
With the game tied at ten, the Eagles connected on a jumper that was the catalyst for a 13-0 run, putting Rollins in a big hole. However, the resilience of the Tars showed once again as they answered with a ten point run of their own, pulling within one possession. Unfortunately, Rollins could not regain the lead despite pulling the same trick two more times in the half, and at the halftime buzzer, Embry-Riddle led 49-41.
John Latimer III led the Tars with 12 points in the first half, while
Emilis Butkus added seven. A large part of the Eagles' success came from outside the arc as they connected on eleven threes in the first half.
Rollins used the long ball to claw back into the game. On the first three possessions of the second half, Butkus,
Beau Frericks, and Butkus again connected on triples to make it a 54-50. Later in the half, trailing by eleven,
Sergey Grishaev and
Michael Niemann both hit from deep while the defense held the Eagles without a point for three minutes.
At the 8:21 mark, the Tars finally equalized when Grishaev flushed a dunk to knot the score at 69 all. Embry-Riddle managed to regain the lead, but Grishaev tied the game once more at 4:17 to go.
With less than two minutes to go, Butkus came up clutch for the Tars, knocking down two free throws and then a three-pointer that put Rollins up 86-85. Unfortunately, that was the final make from the field for the Tars. In fact, neither team made a shot in that time frame. The difference was the Eagles converting on five of eight free throws to hang on for the 90-87 win.
Both Latimer and Butkus led the Tar offense with 21 points. Grishaev added 14 points and five boards, and Niemann was good for 13 points off the bench. Dru Nickson had a career game for the Eagles, scoring 43 points that included ten made three pointers.
Next up for Rollins is the final home game of the season. On Wednesday, February 26 the Tars will host the Florida Southern Mocs at Warden Arena. Before the game, the coaching staff will recognize the seniors in a special ceremony.
