BOXSCORE | CUMULATIVE STATS
PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Senior guard Joe Canori scored 29 points Tuesday to lift visiting Nazareth to its second victory of the season over rival St. John Fisher in men's basketball, an 81-76 triumph in a foul-filled game at Fisher's Manning & Napier Gymnasium.

The victory boosted the Golden Flyers to 14-5 overall and 7-3 in the Empire 8 Conference. Fisher is 11-8 overall and 7-3 in the E8. Both teams are tied for second place in the conference standings with Ithaca, also 7-3. Stevens Institute of Technology stands alone in first place at 11-2.

Nazareth also defeated Fisher, 73-56, at Nazareth on Jan. 15. It marks the first time that Nazareth has beaten Fisher twice in a men's basketball season since 1986-87.

In Tuesday's game, Nazareth built a 15-point halftime advantage and withstood a furious second-half rally by the Cardinals, who got 24 points from sophomore Chris Baltz and 11 from senior Justin Beigel.

Canori and Ryan McAdam each scored 13 points in the first half for the Golden Flyers, who led 42-27 at the break. Fisher twice closed to within four points in the second half, the last time coming on a free throw by Baltz to make the score 78-74 with 1:34 left.

Nazareth held on even after Canori and Ryan McAdam each fouled out. Nazareth scored its last three points at the free throw line -- one each by Leon Hill, Rayvon Higdon and Corey McAdam.

Canori, who recently surpassed the 1,700-point mark for his career, made 9 of 19 shots from the field, including three three-pointers to amass his 29 points. He also went 8 for 9 from the foul line. Corey McAdam added 14 points, five rebounds and five assists and Ryan McAdam had nine rebounds to go with his 13 points.

Canori now has 1,733 career points to rank third all-time. He needs 73 more to surpass Chris Pegan as the Golden Flyers' all-time leader.

The game was physical throughout as the teams combined to commit 49 fouls. Nazareth went 22 for 34 from the line, while Fisher was just 14 for 27.

Nazareth plays again Friday at Hartwick at 8 p.m. (WHTK-AM 1280 / www.whtk.com).