Box l
Updated stats
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Senior
Corey McAdam and sophomore
Jason Corletta each had a team-high 18 points for host Nazareth, but Stevens held off the Golden Flyers' rally and defeated Nazareth 78-73 in an Empire 8 men's basketball game.
With the loss, the Golden Flyers fall to 13-7 overall and 8-3 in conference games. The Ducks improve to 15-4 overall and 8-3 in the Empire 8. After Saturday's game, Nazareth and Stevens were tied for second place in the conference. St. John Fisher continued to hold the top spot in the standings with a 10-1 record.
The Golden Flyers held a 10-5 lead just 4:16 into the game following Corletta's second three-point basket. Nazareth held the lead for most of the next seven minutes thanks to two layups from McAdam and a two-point jumper from sophomore
Phil Scaffidi. Stevens scored consecutive baskets to take a 23-17 lead with 5:43 left in the first half.
The Golden Flyers' answered with a 10-3 scoring run to temporarily reclaim the lead, 27-26, with 1:05 left in the half. Sophomore
Greg Lothridge had two layups during the run and McAdam and freshman
Tyshun Stephens each added two free throws. The Ducks outscored Nazareth 5-2 in the final 46 seconds of the half to take a 31-29 lead at halftime.
Corletta opened the second half with a two-point jumper to tie the game for Nazareth. The score was tied three additional times in the next 2:34 as the teams traded baskets. Stevens, however, took the lead for good on a free throw by Bryan Franklin with 16:01 to play.
The Ducks' lead quickly swelled to 12 points, 53-41, with just under 12 minutes remaining in regulation, but baskets from McAdam, Scaffidi, and Corletta and free throws from Scaffidi and Lothridge cut the Golden Flyers' deficit to four points, 55-51, with 8:37 to play.
Stevens answered with consecutive baskets to stretch its lead to nine points, then extended its lead to 12 points twice in the final two minutes. The second time, the Ducks held a 75-63 lead with under a minute remaining. Despite the deficit, Nazareth continued to battle and closed the game with a 10-3 scoring run in the last 38 seconds to cut the final score to 78-73. McAdam hit a two-point jumper and Stephens and Corletta each connected on a three-point basket.
Stephens and Scaffidi finished with 17 points and 12 points, respectively. Lothridge had a team-high 10 rebounds and five blocked shots. He also scored six points. McAdam recorded six rebounds and six assists. The Golden Flyers connected on 16-17 free throw opportunities to help keep them in the game.
Mike Cutri recorded a game-high 24 points for Stevens. Simon Smith had 20 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. The Ducks outrebounded the Golden Flyers 42-36. George Greco also added 11 points for Stevens.
Nazareth hosts Hartwick and Ithaca next weekend in two Empire 8 contests. The Golden Flyers play Hartwick Friday evening at 8 p.m., then take on Ithaca Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.