HOUGHTON, N.Y. – Visiting Nazareth scored eight straight points to open the second half Tuesday to break open a close game against Houghton. The Golden Flyers were able to maintain a double-digit advantage thereafter in an 80-60 men's basketball victory over the Highlanders.

Playing their first of four games in eight days that will close out the regular season, the Golden Flyers won for the fifth straight time to boost their overall record to 16-6 and their Empire 8-Conference leading mark to 11-2. Houghton dropped to 3-18 and 0-12.
Nazareth has three regular-season games remaining: Thursday and Saturday at home against Elmira and St. John Fisher respectively and Tuesday at Alfred. Fisher defeated Alfred Tuesday, 73-51, to give Nazareth sole possession of first place in the E8.

The Highlanders resembled anything but a three-win team in the first half Tuesday as they stayed close and trailed by just four points, 36-32, at the halftime break. In fact, Nazareth trailed by seven, 24-17, before embarking on a 19-8 scoring run over the last seven minutes to take the lead for good.

It started with 11 straight points – including four by Stephen Gabel and a three-pointer by Daniel Jacob – and ended with baskets by Tyler Stenglein and Mitch Keniston to end the half.

In the second half, Nazareth got two baskets each from Brendan Wind and Jake Burgio to surge to a 44-32 advantage in the first four minutes to quickly erase any Houghton comeback aspirations.

The Golden Flyers used a balanced offensive attack to expand their lead thereafter. The lead reached 17, 62-45, on a basket by Stenglein with 6:22 left. Three-pointers by Jacob and Stenglein allowed the lead to grow even more to 74-51 with 3:34 to go. Sophomore Mitch Senecal also cracked the score sheet by completing a three-point play in the closing minute.

Stenglein led the way with 21 points and seven assists. Wind also had seven assists in addition to 12 points and Gabel finished with 10. Burgio and Jacob had eight apiece. Dylan Lambert led Houghton with 16 points, 12 of which came in the first half. It was Nazareth's second win over the Highlanders this season as they also won 78-65 on Jan. 13. Nazareth has won 20 of 26 meetings overall.