WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. –The Palm Beach Atlantic men's basketball team traveled to Daytona Beach, Fla. to face SSC foe Embry-Riddle who is receiving votes in the NABC top-25.
 
The Sailfish could not come back from a large first half deficit as the Eagles won the rebounding battle and continued to get open looks from 3-point land. PBA (6-3, 1-2 Sunshine State Conference) played hard until the end, but lost the game 105-80 to ERAU (9-1, 3-1 SSC).
 
De'Ondre Jackson was the leading scorer for the 'Fish scoring 15 points with four rebounds and four assists. Casey Carpinello was right behind him with a season-high 14 points as he shot 4-for-6 from beyond the arc. Jules Jasmin added 13 points with seven rebounds and Darhius Nunn finished with 12 points and three assists.
 
The first 10 minutes of the game was very sloppy for each squad as both teams were playing their first games after a 10-day gap in the schedule. It took a while for both offenses to get into rhythm. The game was tied at 17 midway through the first half.
 
With 10 minutes remaining in the half, Embry-Riddle went on a 9-0 run thanks to several second-chance points to take a 26-17 lead. PBA hung around after a pair of layups from Nunn and Malek Barber along with a 3-pointer from Jackson made it 29-24 Eagles. 
 
The last six minutes of the game were dominated by the hosts. The Eagles hit five 3-pointers in the last six minutes of the first period. ERAU ended the half on a 16-2 run thanks to 11 second-chance points. PBA went into the halftime break trailing 52-29. The Sailfish lost the battle of the boards 30-14 in the first half.
 
Embry-Riddle picked up right where they left off by opening the second half with a 7-2 run. The Sailfish struggled to cut into the deficit in the second half. ERAU continued to let it fly from 3-point range shooing 52 3-pointers in the game, a program record. PBA competed better on the glass in the second period, outrebounding the Eagles 23-20 which helped limit ERAU's second-chance points. Unfortunately for PBA, the Sailfish struggled to chase the Eagles off the 3-point line.
 
The Sailfish fought hard until the final buzzer as PBA ended the game on a 17-2 run over the final two minutes to cut into the deficit. ERAU held on to win 105-80.
 
PBA returns home on Monday to face Johnson university in its final home game of 2019. Tip-off in Rubin Arena is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.