UTICA, N.Y. -- Stephen Gabel and Jonathan Park each posted double-doubles for second-seeded Nazareth Friday to lead the Golden Flyers to an 80-71 triumph over St. John Fisher in the semifinals of the Empire 8 Conference men's basketball tournament played at Utica's Clark Gymnasium.

After splitting a pair of regular-season games with the Fisher, the Golden Flyers secured the rubber match to improve to 22-4 overall and will play Saturday for the conference title and the accompanying automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Fisher dropped to 19-7. Nazareth will play top-seeded Utica in Saturday's championship game at 3 p.m. Utica defeated Alfred in the other semifinal game, 75-70. Nazareth and Utica split two regular-season games.

Nazareth led 42-39 at the half and outscored Fisher 38-32 in the second half. Gabel scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while Park had 13 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks. Kevin Underwood added 14 points and Zach Stenglein went 0-for-7 from the field, but went 13-for-14 from the free throw line to finish with 13 points, four assists and six steals.

Gabel scored 12 of his points in the first half and Park had 11 points and seven rebounds as the Golden Flyers recovered from an early deficit to take the halftime lead. Fisher was up 24-16 midway through the half before Nazareth scored nine straight points -- seven by Park -- to take a one-point lead. Stenglein helped the cause by making trips to the free throw line, where he sank 9 of 10 first-half attempts.

Fisher went on a mini scoring run to open the second half and had a one-point lead, 48-47, at the 16-mnute mark. Nazareth then scored 11 straight points, including a three-pointer by Gabel, to open a 10-point advantage, 58-48, and the Golden Flyers never trailed thereafter.

Nazareth's lead grew as large as 15 points, 68-53, after a basket and a pair of free throws by Gabel. Six straight points enabled Fisher to close within four points, 71-67, with four minutes left, but Nazareth closed out the Cardinals as Underwood scored six of his points down the stretch. Stenglein added his final two free throws with :23 left as Nazareth ran out the clock.

Nazareth went 26-for-58 (44.8%) from the field with four three-point baskets. The Golden Flyers also went 24-for-31 (77.4%) from the foul line.

On Saturday Nazareth shoots for its fourth Empire 8 Conference title. The Golden Flyers last won it in 2018 by defeating Utica in the final. The Pioneers, meanwhile, are aiming for their second straight title. They won last year during the pandemic-altered season, but they were unable to advance to the NCAA Tournament.