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ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Junior
Rachel Benedict scored 10 of her game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter Friday as host Nazareth rallied to defeat Houghton in Empire 8 women's basketball action, 68-63, at the Kidera Gymnasium.
Nazareth improved to 16-7 overall and 11-3 in the Empire 8 Conference following their third straight win and their second of the season over the Highlanders. Houghton dropped to 11-12 overall and 4-10 in conference play. Both teams are in action again Saturday. Nazareth visits Elmira at 2 p.m. and Houghton in at Utica at 3.
Trailing by five points, 52-47, after three quarters and by as many as seven points early in the fourth quarter, the Golden Flyers rallied to outscore the visitors 21-11 over the final 10 minutes to escape with the hard-fought win. Benedict made three baskets in the fourth quarter, including a big three-point shot with 2:13 to go to trim Nazareth's deficit to one point, 63-62.
Isabella Gjonaj scored on Nazareth's next possession, with 1:43 left, to give the Golden Flyers their first lead since the opening quarter. Gjonaj finished with 10 points, four rebounds and two blocks. Gjonaj scored again with :47 left and Benedict sank a pair of free throws with :21 left to complete the rally. The Golden Flyers held the Highanders scoreless over the final three minutes.
Houghton led by as many as 11 points in the first half before Nazareth came back to trail by five, 34-29, after 20 minutes. Leslie Moose came off the bench to score 10 points for the Highlanders, who also went 10-for-11 from the free-throw line.
Jadyn Abrams scored 12 of her 17 points in the first half on 4-for-4 shooting and Benedict added 10. The Golden Flyers were outrebounded 18-12 with 10 of Houghton's rebounds coming at the offensive end. Nazareth also committed 11 turnovers.
In the second half, Nazareth cleaned up the turnover problem, committing just four and closed the rebounding gap. Benedict finished with 11 rebounds. Abrams' stat line featured three three-point baskets and a 4-for-4 effort from the free-throw line.
Overall, Nazareth went 23-for-51 from the field and 16-for-19 from the foul line. Moose led Houghton with 15 points. Emily Swanson added 13 and Brittany Lenart had 12.
