Updated Stats

ROCHESTER, NY – Senior Rachel Benedict scored 17 of her game-high 23 points in the first half to help the Nazareth College women's basketball team build an early lead and the Golden Flyers cruised to a 90-47 victory Friday night over Houghton in the first Empire 8 conference game for each team.

Nazareth (9-3 overall, 1-0 E8) scored 24 points in the first quarter and led by 10 after just 10 minutes of play. Another 24 points in the second stanza gave the Golden Flyers a commanding 48-27 lead at halftime.

The 90 points against an Empire 8 opponent is the most since Nazareth posted a 90-76 victory over Utica on February 20, 2016.

Benedict was hot early as she connected on 5-of-7 field goals with three 3-pointers and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the first half. She added six more points in the third quarter as Nazareth used a 25-10 advantage in the period to further pull away from the Highlanders (2-10, 0-1 E8).

Nazareth used the entire bench in the game and nearly every player scored for the Golden Flyers. Senior Lizzie Straub scored nine points while sophomore Jadyn Abrams and senior Erica Bradley added eight points each. Junior Haley Schoelerman and sophomore Caley Cornwell chipped in seven points each in the balanced attack.

Benedict led the squad with eight rebounds while Schoelerman had six and senior Delaney Martin added five for Nazareth.

The Golden Flyers shot 50.8 percent (30-for-59) from the field and connected on 12-of-30 3-pointers led by Benedict's five long range shots.