EMORY, Va. – The Erskine College men's basketball team (2-7, 0-3 CC) defeated Emory & Henry College (4-8, 1-3 SAC) by a score of 72-69 in overtime at the King Center on Tuesday afternoon.

Erskine trailed by seven at the half and as many as 12 in the early stages of the second half, but battled back to get within a possession. Even after Emory & Henry went on a run to open back up its lead to 59-48 at the 5:25 mark, the Fleet responded by closing regulation on an 11-0 run and sending the game to overtime. Jayden Byrd hit a pair of threes early on in the extra period, and following a Moses Cheek jumper to tie the game with 37 seconds left, the Fleet forced a turnover and gave themselves a chance to steal a road win. Erskine had to go the length of the floor in just eight seconds, but Corey Gaines raced across the timeline, attacked the paint, and kicked out to an open Byrd in the left corner in the waning seconds and the junior guard provided the heroics, drilling the three-pointer as time expired to seal the win.
 
GAME STATS at Emory & Henry (W 72-69, OT)
POINTS: Jayden Byrd (26)
REBOUNDS: Corey Gaines (6), Christian Monroe (6)
ASSISTS: Corey Gaines (8)
BLOCKS: Jaylen Prioleau (1), Jalen Robinson (1)
STEALS: Corey Gaines (6)

THE PLAYER
Junior guard Jayden Byrd did not start the game, but he finished it with a buzzer-beating three in overtime. The Spartanburg Methodist transfer also totaled a career-best 26 points on six made threes in 33 minutes off the bench.

THE TEAM
Erskine shot 35% (23-65) from the field and 39% (13-33) from the three-point line, those 13 made threes a season-high for the Fleet. Erskine was 77% (13-17) and had a 40 to 26 advantage in bench points, in large part due to Byrd's career-high 26 points off the Fleet bench.

WHAT'S NEXT? 
Erskine has an extended break for the holiday season, before returning to the hardwood in an exhibition against Jacksonville University on December 30 at 3 p.m. The Fleet's next official contest is not until January 3, 2024, when Conferece Carolinas newcomer, Young Harris College, comes to town at 7 p.m.

MORE ABOUT THE ERSKINE COLLEGE FLYING FLEET

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