ROCHESTER, NY - The Buffalo State men's basketball team erased a 12-point, second-half deficit, but Nazareth pulled ahead in the final minutes as the Bengals opened the 2021-22 season with a 70-65 loss Tuesday evening.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Nazareth – 70, Buffalo State – 65
LOCATION: Mike Daley Court at the Kidera Center – Rochester, N.Y.
RECORDS: Buffalo State (0-1), Nazareth (1-0)

INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• Sheldon Adams (Rochester, NY/Bishop Kearney) led the Bengals with 15 points, adding five rebounds and three assists.
• Aaron Davis (Beacon, NY/Beacon) got hot down the stretch for the Bengals, finishing with 14 points, five rebounds, and two assists.
• Marquell Boutwell (Liverpool, NY/Nottingham) added eight points and seven rebounds off the bench.
• The Bengals shot 35.1 percent (26-of-74) from the field and tallied 18 points off Nazareth turnovers.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• 'State jumped out to a 9-2 lead, thanks to baskets by Adams and Mark Worthy, Jr. (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South).
• Down five at 23-18, Nazareth went on a 15-7 spurt to take a 33-30 lead into halftime. 
• Nazareth stretched its lead in the second half, leading by as many as 12 points (52-40) at the 10-minute mark.
• Down 10 at 60-50, the Bengals went on a 10-0 run, capped by a Davis block on the defensive end and a floater on the other end, tying the game at 60.
• Nazareth scored five straight points to push the lead to five, but four Bengal points brought the deficit to one.
• 'State could get no closer, as clutch free throw shooting by the Golden Flyers kept the Bengals at bay.

 
FOR THE FOES

• Kevin Underwood led all scorers with 21 points, shooting 7-of-13 from the field.
• Zach Stenglein added 20 points and seven rebounds.
• Jonathan Park tallied a 11-point, 22-rebound double-double.

 
UP NEXT
Buffalo State will take a week off, returning to action as it hosts the Community Health Center of Buffalo Classic, beginning with a matchup against Ohio Northern on Friday, Nov. 19 at 8 p.m.