Men's Basketball offense runs aground at Embry-Riddle

Keelhaulers must win season finale at Benedictine-Mesa to earn a spot in the Cal Pac Tournament after 68-42 loss at Embry-Riddle.

A streaky season for the Cal Maritime (15-12, 7-6) has left them in a precarious position but yet still controlling their own destiny as they go into the final game of the season. The Keelhaulers won seven-straight games at one point in Cal Pac play, but have now lost four in a row, and are even with Embry-Riddle (14-13, 7-6) with Ben-U and UC Merced lurking behind at 6-7 in conference play.

Cal Maritime has to win to get into the tournament and can be the #3 seed with a victory at BENU plus an ERAU loss. The Keelhaulers would be #4 with a win if ERAU also ends up 8-6 due to their victory over top-seeded UAV, but Cal Maritime will fall out of contention with a loss.

Freshman Matt Essien hit a baseline jumper followed by three pointer for senior Justin Eisen after a scoreless opening, two-plus minutes by both teams for a 5-0 Maritime lead. But the Eagles took an 8-7 lead with just over 13 minutes left in the first half as the teams traded turnovers and the Keelhaulers couldn't make a field goal.

The drought continued for Cal Maritime and they trailed 12-7 with just under eight minutes left in half and were still stuck on just two made field goals in the game. Junior Josh Hauser snapped scoreless streak with coast-to-coast layup after a rebound with just over seven minutes to go in the half, and another Eisen deep three at the top of key cut it to one with 3:13 to go first half.

But more missed shots and nine turnovers to eight by ERAU and the Keelhaulers were down 23-16 at the half. Though the Eagles were just hitting just 33% from the field themselves and were 0-7 from downtown, the Keelhaulers were shooting 19% from the floor and were only 2-9 from three-point range.

Embry-Riddle's Logan Skurdal scored his 1000 point on a three pointer and put the Eagles up 28-16 just a minute and 20 seconds into the second half before Cal Maritime called a time out.

The Keelhaulers were down 33-16 with under 18 minutes left when Eisen broke another drought with a three for the Keelhaulers first bucket of of the second half to make it 33-19 ERAU as the Eagles started the half on a 10-3 run. Senior Kyle Osterstock hit a three pointer to cut it to 35-22 with 15:08 which led to a time out by the Eagles and Embry-Riddle answered with another three of their own when play resumed.

A three pointer by junior Evan Madill cut it to 45-27 with 11 and a half minutes to go, but Embry-Riddle kept heating up while the Keelhaulers stayed cold as the Eagles led 51-35 with 7:09 to go en route to their 68-42 victory.

Sophomore Zavier Lucero recorded his eighth double-double on the season -- good for second in the conference -- with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Hauser pulled down eight rebounds for Cal Maritime.

UP NEXT: The Keelhaulers will make their way to Mesa, Ariz. to take on Benedictine University at Mesa at 6:30 p.m. PST on Saturday, Feb. 16.