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ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Visiting Ithaca won its 20th women's basketball game of the season Tuesday as the Bombers broke open a close game in the second half and went on to defeat Nazareth, 70-60. The final score was identical to the teams' first meeting in Ithaca Jan. 31.

Ithaca gained its seventh straight win and improved to 20-4 overall and 14-1 in the Empire 8. Nazareth slipped to 14-9 overall and 9-5 in conference games. The teams could meet again later this month in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament. Nazareth, which has already clinched a berth in the conference tournament Feb. 27-28, closes out its regular-season schedule this weekend with road games at Stevens Friday and at Hartwick Saturday.

In Tuesday's game, seniors Maria Allocco, Melissa Reeves and Hannah Runyon played their final home game, but it was Ithaca junior Keri Steele who spoiled the festivities by scoring a game-high 21 points on 6-for-8 shooting with three three-point baskets. Senior Samantha Klie added 13 points. Junior Veronica Peck led Nazareth with 18 points, including five three-pointers, and four assists. Juniors Julia Brew and Sam Sorge added 14 and 13 points respectively.

Ithaca made 14 of 30 shots in the first half to take a 37-32 lead as Steele scored 10 of her points, while Peck scored nine for the Golden Flyers – all on three-pointers. The Bombers came out firing in the second half as they hit their first four shots, including a pair of three-pointers by Steele and one by Alex Gilligan, to extend the lead to double digits at 48-35.

Later in the half, Nazareth hit a five-minute stretch without a basket, enabling the Bombers' lead to swell to 16 points at 61-45 with 6:44 to go. The Golden Flyers tried to get back in it and closed to within seven points, 65-58, following a pair of free throws by Peck with :45 left. Klie sank four foul shots for Ithaca in the closing seconds and Steele hit another to preserve Ithaca's lead.

Ithaca made 24 of 54 shots overall (44.4 percent) and went 14 for 20 from the foul line. Nazareth went 20 for 55 from the filed (36.4 percent) with nine three-pointers and 11 for 14 (78.6) from the foul line. Junior Lindsey Kelly pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds for Nazareth.