PITTSFORD, NY - The Nazareth women's basketball team (3-1) outscored Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) (3-2) 70-58 on Friday evening to secure a win on day one of the Mark's Pizzeria Crosstown Challenge at St. John Fisher University.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Nazareth opened the game with a strong defensive effort, holding RPI to just 10 points while building a 20-10 lead. RPI responded in the second quarter, outscoring the Golden Flyers 20-16, but Nazareth still entered halftime ahead 36-30.
In the third quarter, Nazareth extended their advantage, outscoring RPI 17-13 to take a 53-42 lead into the final quarter.
Senior Molly Benetti took over in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 of Nazareth's 17 points to help close out the victory. The Golden Flyers pulled away to finish with a 70-58 win.
Benetti stood out for Nazareth, recording 27 points and 9 rebounds while shooting 3-for-5 from the free-throw line. Senior Katie MacLachlan finished with 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting.
Junior Sarina McDowell added 13 points, seven rebounds, and two assists, while senior Kiara Anglin chipped in eight points and six rebounds.
Nazareth shot an efficient 48.4 percent 30-for-62) from the floor and 33.3 percent (3-for-9) from three-point range, while holding RPI to just 39.3 percent shooting (24-for-69).
GAME NOTES:
- Benetti's 27 points marked her highest scoring output of the season and her second game this year scoring in double figures.
- Nazareth controlled the game flow, leading for the majority of the contest and never allowing RPI to close the gap to fewer than two possessions after halftime.
- Although RPI held a slight advantage on the boards, Nazareth limited the Engineers near the rim, holding them to just 39.3%
WHAT'S NEXT:
The Golden Flyers will compete in day two of the Mark's Pizzeria Crosstown Challenge against the University of Rochester on Saturday, November 22, at 3 p.m.
