ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Host Nazareth outscored Elmira 39-30 in the second half Wednesday as the Golden Flyers broke open a close game and went on to take a 76-64 men's basketball victory over Elmira on Mike Daley Court at the Kidera Gymnasium.

The win was the first of the season for the Golden Flyers, who evened their overall record at 1-1. Elmira was playing its first game of the season.

Leading 37-34 at halftime on the strength of 11 points from Zach Stenglein, Nazareth got 10 second-half points each from seniors Stephen Gabel and Kevin Underwood to gradually pull away from the pesky Soaring Eagles, who benefited from having four double-digit scorers. The game remained close and Elmira was able to hang around long enough to grab a 51-50 lead following a three-pointer by Harry Ravitz (17 points) with 13:28 to play.

Nazareth rallied to score the next 10 points -- a basket and a free throw from Isaac Nelson, a three-pointer by Brendan Broderick and baskets by Gabel and Underwood -- to go up 60-51 and were in control the rest of the way. The lead finally crept into double digits, 66-55, on a basket by Underwood with 7:28 to go. The lead grew as large as 15 points, 75-60, following a jumper by Logan Blankenberg with 2:30 to play.

Underwood led the Golden Flyers with 18 points. Stenglein finished with 16 points, six rebounds and four assists and Gabel had 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Nelson had 11 points and five rebounds. Nazareth went 32-for-69 (46.4%) from the field and 4-for-18 (22.2%) from three-point range. Elmira was 24-for-65 (36.9%) and 6-for-9 (66.7%) from long distance.

Shawn Backus led Elmira 18 points and eight rebounds. Ravitz added 17, Rashaad Nurse had 12 and Kyle Kokoskie 10 points and eight assists.

Nazareth plays a pair of games this weekend against Keuka. Nazareth plays on the road Friday at 7 p.m. and back at home Saturday at 2.