Updated stats
PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Host St. John Fisher built a nine-point halftime lead and then held off a late rally by Nazareth to take a 79-75 men's basketball victory over the Golden Flyers in the regular-season finale for both teams.
The victory enabled the Cardinals to salvage a series split with the Golden Flyers for the season and snapped Nazareth's 11-game winning streak. The Golden Flyers (20-5 overall, 12-2 E8) had already clinched the top seed and home-court advantage for next week's Empire 8 Conference Tournament. Fisher will be the second seed after improving to 17-8 overall and 12-2 in the E8.
Zach Stenglein led Nazareth with 27 points with four three-pointers and three steals.
Jonathan Park added 15 points and a game-best 11 rebounds and
Stephen Gabel contributed 11 points and five assists. The Golden Flyers, however, were outrebounded 38-29 overall and committed a season-high 18 turnovers.
Fisher led by as many as 10 points in the first half before settling for a 37-28 edge at the break. The Cardinals never trailed thereafter and extended their lead to as many as 13 points in the second half after a three-pointer by Brendan Trapper with 9:38 left.
Nazareth clawed back, fueled by Stenglein, who hit a three-pointer and then converted an old-fashioned three-point play during a 15-2 run that tied the score at 65-65 with 4:14 left. Park also scored twice and Gabel had a three-pointer during the rally.
After Fisher pushed the lead back to seven points, 74-67, with less than two minutes to play, Nazareth rallied again as Gabel hit a three-pointer and Stenglein scored again to trim the lead to two, 74-72. Fisher's Sammy Robinson sank two free throws to push the lead back to 76-72, but Stenglein connected again for a three-pointer with :20 left to make it a one-point game again at 76-75.
After Fisher's Dennis Hare made a free throw, Nazareth had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds, but turned the ball over before getting shot off as Fisher prevailed.
Nazareth went 28-for-60 (46.7 percent) from the field overall with 11 three-pointers. Fisher went 31-for-61 overall (50.8 percent) with three three-pointers.
Despite the setback, Nazareth will host the Empire 8 Tournament next weekend with semifinal games Friday at 5:30 (Nazareth vs. Sage) and 7:30 (Fisher vs. Utica). The championship game is Saturday at 4 p.m. with an automatic berth the NCAA Tournament at stake.
