DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.- The Palm Beach Atlantic men's basketball team came up with a hard-fought road win on Wednesday night against the Embry-Riddle Eagles. The Sailfish used a big night from the bench with 31 of the 70 points coming from substitutes in the win. Alvin Tumblin Jr. led all scorers with 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting.  

The Sailfish and Eagles both started the first game of the new year a little sluggish in Daytona Beach. At the first media timeout of the game, the Eagles led the game 2-1 with the Sailfish starting the game 0-6 from the field with a Christian Kirkland free-throw being the only point for PBA. Clay Payne rectified that with a thunderous dunk moments later for the team's first field goal. PBA took its first lead of the game with 11:59 to go in the half with a 3-point bucket from Kollin Claridy. 

The teams continued to go back and forth and trade possessions. The Sailfish caused an Eagle timeout with back-to-back dunks from Kirkland. However, the Eagles responded with a 4-0 run. The Sailfish found themselves up 29-27 with the Eagles holding for the last shot of the half. However, Preston Le Gassick came up with a steal and then found Clay Payne in transition for a big alley-oop slam at the buzzer to give the Sailfish a 31-27 lead heading into the halftime break. 

The Eagles came out of the halftime break ready to respond and started things off with a 4-0 run that Graham Worland ended with his first three of the game. Tyler Burton got in on the action with his only points of the game in the form of a three-point shot. Tumblin Jr. Followed that up with a steal and lay-in off the ensuing inbounds pass and the Sailfish had their biggest lead so far, 45-35, at the under-16 media timeout.
 
The Sailfish started cruising in the second half and got out to a 15-point lead at 58-43 after Claridy knocked down a floater over the Eagles' big man; however, ERAU fought all the way back. Jared Berry, the Eagles leading scorer with 18, knocked down two free throws on two different visits to the line to bring them back with 68-66 with under a minute to play. 

After an empty Sailfish possession, Embry-Riddle had a chance to tie or take the lead with just about a two second differential between the shot and game clock. As the Eagles tried to create an open look, Berry lost control of the ball and Kirkland came away with it. He was fouled with 3.2 seconds left and knocked down both free throws to give the Sailfish a 70-66 lead. The Eagles threw up a half court prayer at the buzzer, but it harmlessly hit the backboard, and the Sailfish came away with the big road win.
 
Tumblin Jr. was PBA's lone double-digit scorer. After shooting just 40 percent in the first half, PBA bounced back, shooting 53 percent in the second half. The Sailfish showcased their defensive tenacity, holding the ERAU offense to 41 percent shooting and forcing 18 turnovers.
 
The Sailfish return home on Saturday for a matchup against Saint Leo. The game in Rubin Arena tips off at 4:00 p.m.