PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Rochester sharpened its shooting eye in the second half and pulled away for a 93-87 victory over Nazareth College on Friday evening at Nazareth's Kidera Gymnasium. The teams were tied at 35-35 at halftime.
 
The Yellowjackets shook off a 39% shooting performance in the first 20 minutes. UR hit 60% from the floor overall (18 of 30) and 60% outside the arc (nine of 15) after the halftime break. Nazareth found its shooting eye in the second half as well: 18 of 38 from the field (48%), 8-21 outside the arc (38%). Rochester and Nazareth totaled 110 points in the second half (UR scored 58, Nazareth had 52).  
 
Five men hit double figures for Rochester. Ryan Algier had 24 points, 10 rebounds, and three 3-pointers. C.J. Amsellem scored 16 points, including four treys. Mitchell Kershner scored 11 points (three 3-pointers), Kailan Lee had 13 points, and T.C. Price scored 10 (two treys). Trent Noordsij was 3 of 4 from the foul line in the last 30 seconds as Nazareth pulled within 86-84 in the final minute. The Yellowjackets, who lost to then-8^th-ranked Yeshiva at the Blue Cross Arena last Sunday, are 1-1.
 
For the hosts, Kevin Underwood scored 27 points, Zach Stenglein had 19, and Stephen Gabel scored nine. Isaac Nelson had seven points and three others scored six points. This was Nazareth's first game of the season (0-1).

In the first half, it was a typical Rochester-Nazareth game: tight all the way. The lead changed hands once – when Stenglein drove for a layup and a 5-4 lead. It was tied six times. The hosts snagged an early six-point lead and held it on four different occasions, the last time at 22-16 on a Gabel jumper. UR got even at 23-23 on Kershner's triple from the right of the key. It was tied four more times after that, the last with Eric Cannon making both ends of a one-and-one with two seconds left.
 
Nazareth found early offense in the second half from Jonathan Park. He touched the ball three times on the low block and scored each time. His last bucket put Naz within 42-41. The hosts cooled off a bit and UR went on a 13-4 run over five minutes to stake itself to a 10-point edge (55-45). Three players hit from the arc: Price, Noordsij, and Ansellem.
 
Algier scored 14 points in less than three minutes, hitting 3-pointers from the top of the arc three times, making a conventional three-point play, and dropping in two free throws. When his run finished, Rochester had a 70-55 lead at the midway point of the second half.
 
Nazareth heated up in the last two minutes. Lee scored a layup against full court pressure to put UR ahead, 86-75. The Flyers ran off nine straight points, the last six by Underwood to get within 86-84 with :55 on the clock. Ross Gang lobbed the ball to Amsellem who rolled to the hoop for a layin (88-84). Noordsij hit three free throws and Gang sank two to wrap up the win.