(RMC release)
CHANDLER, Ariz. - Despite five Battlin' Bears scoring in the double digits, Rocky Mountain College was unable to come up with any last minute heroics in an 87-86 loss to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Ariz.) on Monday.
Rocky (4-4, 1-1 Frontier) led by 12 points at 64-52, the largest margin of the game, in the second period before Embry-Riddle (4-5, 0-0 Cal Pac) embarked on a 22-9 run to retake the lead at 74-73.
The Eagles entered the final minute with an 85-83 lead which Nick Johnson extended by another two points with a bucket in the paint three seconds later. It was Embry-Riddle's last points of the game, but it proved enough. Rocky's Sam Vining hit a three pointer just a few seconds later to draw the game within one. However, a missed buzzer beater meant the Battlin' Bears couldn't make the most of their final opportunity.
Shooting 6-of-10 from deep, Vining's 20 points led a quintuple of double digit scorers for the Battlin' Bears. Brandon The Boy had 16 points while Clayton Ladine recorded 15 points and a team-high six rebounds and seven assists. Grant Wallace scored 14 points in addition to a 12-point performance from Darius Henderson.
Embry-Riddle's Johnson and Gilbert Ibarra each scored 22 points with Johnson also pulling in 10 rebounds. Trace Edmier had 16 points and 10 boards as well.
The Battlin' Bears shot 50.8 percent from the floor and landed half, 18-of-36, of their attempts from deep. Embry-Riddle, on the other hand, shot a 43.2 field goal percentage and only sunk 3-of-17 from beyond the arc.
Embry-Riddle held a 40-28 edge in boards and an 11-5 edge in steals.
The Battlin' Bears will finish playing in the 2019 Cactus Classic tomorrow with a game against Park University Gilbert at 2 p.m. in Chandler, Ariz.
