BOXSCORE | CUMULATIVE STATS
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Nazareth senior Joe Canori became the Golden Flyers' all-time leading men's basketball scorer Friday, but the Golden Flyers suffered a disappointing Empire 8 Conference loss to visiting Utica, 85-77, at the Kidera Gymnasium.
Combined with St. John Fisher's 83-66 victory over Elmira, the Golden Flyers dropped to third place in the conference standings with a 9-4 E8 record. The Golden Flyers are 16-6 overall. Utica kept its hopes alive for a spot in the E8 Tournament by improving to 7-6 in the Empire 8 and 13-9 overall.
Canori scored 25 points for the Golden Flyers to surpass 1998 graduate Chris Pegan as the school's all-time scoring leader. He now has 1,809 points to Pegan's 1,805.
With the score tied at 77-77 following a basket by Nazareth's J.T. Miranda with 1:53 left, the Golden Flyers were shut down the rest of the way as Utica scored the last eight points. Two baskets by Doug Herring (26 points) gave the Pioneers the lead for good. Justin Smith added a basket and a free throw with :31 left and Herring scored the final point on a free throw with :17 left.
Nazareth led by as many as nine points on two occasions in the first half, but Utica rallied to take a 35-32 lead on a free throw by Justin Maxwell with one minute left in the half. Nazareth tied the score heading into halftime on a three-pointer by Corey McAdam before time expired.
After falling behind early in the second half, Nazareth rallied to take a seven-point advantage, 62-55, following a three-pointer by Canori with 10:58 left. That lead quickly evaporated as Utica scored 12 straight points to take a 67-62 advantage with 7:10 to go.
Nazareth took the lead again, 71-70, on a basket by Canori, but Utica answered on a three-pointer by Maxwell seconds later and the Pioneers never trailed thereafter.
Herring had nine rebounds and six assists in addition to his game-high 26 points. Smith added 17 points and nine rebounds and James McClendon had 11.
Four Nazareth players reached double figures. In addition to Canori's 25, Corey McAdam scored 15 with 10 assists and six rebounds. Ryan McAdam scored 13 points and Rayvon Higdon scored 10.
Nazareth plays again Saturday at home against Hartwick at 4 p.m. (WHTK-AM 1280).
