ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Senior Erica Shaw scored a team-high 13 points to lead host Nazareth to a 69-51 victory over John Jay in a women's non-conference basketball game Friday evening. Senior Brittany Wilson finished with nine points and eclipsed the 1,000-point mark. Wilson now stands at 1,004 career points.
Following the victory, Nazareth improves to 5-3 overall. John Jay drops to 3-5 following the loss. The Golden Flyers advance to the championship game of the Nazareth Invitational, which will be at 3 p.m. against St. Mary's. St. Mary's defeated Susquehanna 50-47 in the first game of the tournament.
The Bloodhounds had two leads in the first three minutes of the game, however, the Golden Flyers strung together consecutive scoring possessions to build a 9-4 lead with 16:04 to play in the period. Senior Katie Kollar scored Nazareth's first points on a three-point basket, then senior Brittany Patenaude followed with a basket, and Kollar closed the run with a layup.
Nazareth stretched its first half lead to nine points, 31-22 with four minutes remaining in the half after Shaw connected on one of her three-pointers. John Jay chipped its deficit to three points with a quick 6-0 scoring run, but freshman Hannah Runyon and scored the final five points of the half with a two-point jumper and a three-point attempt to provide the Golden Flyers with a 36-28 lead at halftime.
Senior Brittany TallChief and Kollar opened the second half to extend Nazareth's lead to 12 points. The Bloodhounds cut Nazareth's lead to seven points three times midway through the period, but were unable to challenge the Golden Flyers' lead. Following the third time John Jay cut its deficit to seven points, 55-48, with about seven minutes remaining in regulation, Nazareth answered by closing the game with a 14-3 scoring run to seal the victory. During the run, senior Ashley Gallagher scored eight consecutive points as she connected on three layups and two free throws.
In addition to the points from Shaw and Wilson, Kollar and Gallagher finished with 11 points and 10 points, respectively. Runyon added seven points while Patenaude chipped in six points. The Golden Flyers' balanced scoring attack finished with 11 players who tallied at least two points. Wilson amassed a game-high six assists and corralled a team-high 10 rebounds, followed by Patenaude with seven boards. Nazareth finished with a 48-41 advantage in total rebounds. The Golden Flyers' tenacious forced 23 turnovers to help Nazareth sustain its lead.
Danielle Eagan and Jamecia Forsythe finished with 15 points and 14 points, respectively for the Bloodhounds. Elizabeth Newton recorded a team-high 10 rebounds.