Box Score Box | Updated Stats
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Utica finished the contest 25-28 from the free throw line, including 8-8 in the final 90 seconds to defeat host Nazareth 61-55 in a women's Empire 8 basketball game on Saturday afternoon. Following a three-point basket by senior Katie Kollar, the Golden Flyers trimmed their deficit to four points, 59-55, with about 30 seconds to play in regulation. Nazareth missed its final two three-point attempts to allow the Pioneers to escape with the victory.

After the loss, the Golden Flyers drop to 11-10 overall and 4-7 in Empire 8 contests. Utica improves to 8-14 overall and 3-8 in conference games with the victory. Nazareth slides two games behind fourth-place Stevens in the conference standings. The top four teams qualify for the conference tournament. Stevens is 6-5 in E8 games after knocking off Alfred on Saturday. The Golden Flyers have three critical conference games remaining, with the next two at the Kidera Gymnasium. Nazareth hosts Stevens on February 11th. The Golden Flyers host Hartwick on February 10th before closing the conference schedule at St. John Fisher on February 18th.

Nazareth led 29-20 with about two minutes remaining in the first half following two free throws by senior Erica Shaw. The Golden Flyers built their initial lead with consistent baskets by senior Brittany Patenaude. Patenaude tallied 16 of Nazareth's first 24 points, all within the first 13:25 of the first period. Patenaude was 5-6 from the field, including 3-3 from beyond the arc during her scoring run. After Patenaude hit her third three of the half, Kollar connected on a three-point attempt, and Shaw followed with her free throws to give Nazareth its largest lead of the contest.

Utica scored the final four points of the half to cut the Pioneers' deficit to 29-24 at the break. Utica opened the second half with the first five points in a span of 1:46 to tie the game at 29 points apiece. The Pioneers pulled away midway through the period after holding Nazareth's offense scoreless for six minutes. Utica, meanwhile, scored seven points to stretch a 35-34 lead into a 42-34 advantage.

The Golden Flyers closed their deficit to within four points twice. Shaw cut Utica's lead to four points with about five minutes to play in regulation after connecting on two jumpers sandwiched around a basket by senior Brittany Wilson. In the final minute of regulation, three three-point baskets by Nazareth's offense in a span of just 29 seconds also cut the Pioneers' lead to four points. Shaw connected on the first attempt, then two three-pointers by Kollar brought the Golden Flyers to within 59-55 with about half a minute remaining to play. Utica's proficiency at the charity stripe stymied Nazareth's last minute rally attempt. The Pioneers finished with a plus-20 advantage from the free throw line. The Golden Flyers finished the game 5-9 from the charity stripe.

Kollar finished with 20 points to lead Nazareth's offense. After her torrid start to the game, Utica held Patenaude scoreless in the second half, and she finished with 16 points. Patenaude entered Saturday's contest averaging 6.5 points per game. Shaw added 13 points and a game-high five assists. Shaw scored 11 of her points in the second period. Utica held Wilson to only two points on 1-8 from the field. The senior came into the contest as Nazareth's leading scorer with an average of 11.7 ppg. Kollar grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

Katie McGee matched Kollar with 20 points. McGee scored 12 of her points from the free throw line as she connected on all of her free throw attempts. Meghan Fiore and Alyssa Filkins each contributed 11 points. Bridget Greenwald and Brittany Baudanza each collected eight rebounds to help the Pioneers finish with a 39-28 advantage on the glass.