ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Graduate student Stephen Gabel led all scorers with 22 points and became the 27th Nazareth men's basketball player to reach 1,000 points in career scoring Friday as Nazareth defeated Cazenovia, 80-72, in the opening round of the Mike Daley Memorial Tournament.

Gabel was one of four Nazareth player to score in double figures as the Golden Flyers improved to 2-0 and advanced to Saturday's tournament championship gaame against Rensselaer at 3 p.m. Cazenovia will play Medaille in the consolation game at 1 p.m. Rensselaer defeated Medaille, 87-52, in the first game.

Junior Logan Blankenberg came off the bench for Nazareth to post career highs in points (16) and rebounds (9). Grad students Isaac Nelson and Brendan Broderick added 13 and 10 points respectively. Nelson also had a career-best nine rebounds and sophomore Liam Hopwood combined eight points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

Nazareth was ahead most of the game, but Cazenovia was able to stay close throughout and managed to take a 36-35 lead into halftime as Nazareth's shooting struggles continued in the first 20 minutes. The Golden Flyers made 11 of 32 shots with just two three-pointers in 12 tries in the opening half.

Nazareth's shooting improved in the second half as the Golden Flyers went 16 for-32 from the floor with four three-pointers. They used a 22-9 scoring spree over the first nine minutes to extend their lead to 12 points, 57-45. The scoring was balanced during the hot stretch with Blankenberg, Gabel, Nelson and Jack Broderick each contributing four points.

Cazenovia then embarked on a scoring run its own, using a 15-6 run to claw back to within three, 63-60, with six minutes left. Brendan Broderick and Gabel each answered with three-point baskets on Nazareth's next two possessions and Hopwood added a basket to push the lead back to double digits. Nazareth then sealed the win at the free throw line as Blankenberg hit four foul shots in the closing minute.

Gabel began the night with 989 career points and reached his 1,000-point milestone with a driving layup in the first half. He went 9 for 19 from the field overall with a pair of three-pointers and also grabbed nine rebounds.

Alan Wilmes, Jr. was Cazenovia's high scorer with 16 points. Nate Kelin added 13.

In the first game, Rensselaer had four double digit scorers and shot 56.7 percent (34-for-60) for the game to pull away from Medaille. Johnny Angbazo led all scorers with 19 points.