UTICA, N.Y. – Visiting Nazareth shook off the cobwebs from a 14-day men's basketball hiatus to hold off SUNY Poly Tuesday in a non-conference game, 79-78. Stephen Gabel scored a game-high 27 points and Zach Stenglein added 21 for the Golden Flyers.

It was Nazareth's fourth win in a row as the Golden Flyers extended their overall record to 6-1. SUNY Poly is 6-3. The Golden Flyers now will take another extended break as they will pick up action again in 22 days as part of the Music City Classic in Nashville Dec. 29-30.

Nazareth led most of the way, but had to hold off a late charge by the Wildcats to secure the road win. Logan Blankenberg sank a pair of free throws with 3.1 seconds left to seal the deal. SUNY Poly's Josh Gregory threw in a three-pointer to make it a one-point game as time expired.

The score was tied at halftime 37-37, but Gabel helped break the deadlock by scoring 23 of his points in the second half. He scored eight straight points for the Golden Flyers in one decisive stretch as Nazareth secured the lead for good, 48-41, in the first five minutes of the second half.

The lead grew as large as 13 points, at 68-55, following a basket by Jonathan Park, a three-pointer by Gabel and a steal and layup by Stenglein.

SUNY Poly stormed back and closed to within one point, 75-74, with less than a minute remaining. Gabel hit a free throw with :26 left and Park rebounded a Wildcat miss and sank another free throw with 7.6 seconds left.

Nazareth fouled twice purposely in the closing seconds and the Wildcats were forced the purposely miss a free throw. That's when Blankenberg secured the resulting rebound and sank the two key foul shots.

Nazareth also had a double-digit lead in the first half, but squandered that advantage before settling for the 37-37 tie at the break. The first-half lead twice grew as large as 12 points – each time on three-point baskets by Stenglein, who scored 14 of his points before the break by hitting 5-of-6 shots from the floor.

The Wildcats found their shooting stroke in the later stages of the half and closed the frame with a 21-9 scoring run. They led 37-34 on a basket by Alan Rodriguez in the closing seconds of the half, but Brendan Broderick nailed a three-pointer as time expired to tie the game.

Gabel's points came on 10-for-17 shooting, while Stenglein finished 8-for-11 with four three-pointers. Park finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.

Nazareth's next game is Dec. 29 in Nashville against Edgewood College of Madison, Wis.