ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Graduate student Logan Blankenberg and sophomore Jaylen Savage each scored 15 points to lead the Nazareth University Men's Basketball team but Saint John's (Minn) used an early second half surge to come away with a 91-79 win Tuesday night at Eckerd College in Florida.

Saint John's (7-2 overall) scored the final five points of the first half including three free throws to take a 40-35 lead into the halftime intermission.

The Johnnies started the second half with eight of the first 10 points of the period to extend their lead to double-digits at 48-37 three minutes into the period.

Nazareth (4-4) trimmed the lead down to seven points on several occasions in the second half. A pair of free throws by Savage closed the gap to six points near the midpoint of the half but Saint John's responded with back-to-back 3-pointers to regain the double-digit lead.

A layup with 3:10 remaining extended the lead to 18 points but 30 seconds later a foul and a technical foul gave Nazareth free throws and Blankenberg and sophomore Tyler Putney hit all four. The Golden Flyers maintained possession and Blankenberg drained a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 11 points at 77-66 with 2:33 remaining.

Putney and Blankenberg hit 3-pointer and junior Luke Insley added a three-point play over the next two minutes but Saint John's connected on 10-of-12 free throws in the closing minutes to seal the victory.

Blankenberg and Savage led Nazareth with 15 points each while sophomore Solomon McFarlane and Putney each chipped in 12 and Insley finished with 10 points for the Golden Flyers. Blankenberg led Nazareth with seven rebounds.