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ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- RIT's Brendan Harder scored seven of his game-high 33 points in overtime, including the game-winning basket with :06 left Tuesday, to lift the host Tigers to an 89-87 men's basketball win over Nazareth.
The victory improved RIT's overall record to 9-11 and its Empire 8 Conference mark to 5-6. Nazareth slipped to 15-8 overall and 10-4 in conference games. The Golden Flyers have two regular-season games left -- next Tuesday at home against St. John Fisher and Feb. 21 at Alfred.
After Harder's basket, Nazareth had one last chance, but
Corey McAdam missed a three-point attempt from the top of the key and the Golden Flyers couldn't control the rebound as time expired.
The game featured several twists with Nazareth overcoming a 16-point second-half deficit and then squandering a five-point lead in overtime.
RIT used a 16-0 scoring run over a seven-minute stretch of the first half to turn a 20-18 disadvantage into a 34-20 lead. The Tigers also got the last two baskets of the first half, including a layup by Harder as time expired, to take a 42-26 lead at the break.
Nazareth fought back in the second half, steadily chipping away at RIT's lead. A three-point play by McAdam with 7:18 left finally brought the lead down to single digits at 64-57. A jumper by
Jason Corletta closed the gap to 66-61 with 5:48 left and two free throws by
Phil Scaffidi made it a three-point game, 68-65, with 4:47 left.
Nazareth stayed close and finally tied the score at 73-73 on a three-pointer by McAdam with 1:53 to go. After RIT's Anthony Terry converted a three-point play with 1:21 left, McAdam hit another jumper before Scott Young scored for RIT with :12 left to make it 78-75. Nazareth then forced overtime as freshman
Tyshun Stephens hit a three-pointer with :03 left.
Nazareth nearly won at the end of regulation after RIT threw away the ensuing inbounds pass, but Corletta's three-point try clanged off the rim as time expired.
In overtime, Nazareth had leads of 83-78 and 85-80 before RIT came back. Harder hit a three-pointer to close the gap to 85-83. Corletta then scored for Nazareth, but Nate Korinchak answered for the Tigers. After a Nazareth turnover, RIT's Justin Heisig tied the score at 87 with a baseline jumper.
Scaffidi missed on Nazareth's next possession to set up Harder's game-winning shot that was assisted by Korinchak.
In addition to Harder's 33 points, Terry scored 16 and Korinchak 10. McAdam led Nazareth with 26. Corletta had 20,
Greg Lothridge had 18 and Scaffidi 13.