ELMIRA, NY - Nazareth Men's Basketball (18-5, 13-2) used a dominant second half to pull away from Elmira (8-16, 3-12), securing a 90-79 road victory Saturday afternoon. The Golden Flyers erased a halftime deficit with efficient shooting, strong interior play, and timely defensive stops to earn another conference win.  

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• Nazareth opened the game with early momentum, jumping out to a quick 9-0 lead behind perimeter shooting and ball movement. 

• Elmira responded with a strong shooting stretch in the first half, taking advantage of transition opportunities and outside looks to build a 45-38 lead at the break. 

• Coming out of halftime, the Golden Flyers flipped the script, scoring on their first two possessions and steadily chipping away at the deficit. 

• A fast-break three from Jaylen Savage gave Nazareth its first lead of the second half. 

• Nazareth controlled the game over the final 20 minutes, stretching the lead to as many as 21 points. 

• The Golden Flyers close out the contest at the free-throw line and limited Elmira's second-half shooting to seal the 90-79 road victory. 

GAME NOTES: 

• Merritt Holly led all scorers, pouring in 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting while grabbing 12 rebounds and going a perfect 7-for-7 at the free-throw line. 

• Savage delivered another all-around performance with 22 points, six rebounds, and key baskets in transition that fueled the second-half surge. 

• Solomon McFarlane was highly efficient, finishing with 17 points and a 6-of-8 shooting, including three three-pointers.

• Tyler Putney added 11 points, knocking down three triples and contributing on the defensive glass. 

• As a team, Nazareth shot 45.1 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from the three-point range, outscored Elmira 52-34 in the second half, and finished with 36 points. 

UP NEXT: 

Nazareth returns to action for another Empire 8 match-up as the Golden Flyers continue conference play. They face St. John Fisher on Tuesday, February 17, at 7:30 p.m.