Men's Basketball | 3/4/2022 8:50:00 PM
ROCHESTER, NY -- Zach Stenglein and Kevin Underwood each scored 21 points for host Nazareth Friday as the Golden Flyers outscored Westfield State in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament for men's basketball, 78-71, before a spirited sellout crowd on Mike Daley Court at the Kidera Gymnasium.
The victory enabled the Golden Flyers to set a school record with their 24th win. It also marked Nazareth's first NCAA Tournament win in 24 years. Nazareth (24-4 overall) plays again Saturday at 6:05 p.m. against UMass-Dartmouth, which rallied to take down Emerson, 86-83, in Friday's first game. Saturday's winner will gain a spot in the Sweet 16.
Tickets for Saturday's game are available through the following
link. There also will be 200 tickets available for students, starting at 12 p.m. in the Nazareth Athletic Office. In preparation for Saturday's game, the Alumni Office is sponsoring a pre-game tailgate in the forum from 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Stenglein and Underwood were two of four Nazareth players who produced double digit point totals. Stephen Gabel added 13 points and Jonathan Park added 10 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Nazareth played final 3:45 of the game without Gabel, who fouled out for the first time this season. Park also fouled out in the closing minute, but the Golden Flyers were able to hang on.
The Golden Flyers led for most of the game despite a resilient effort from the Owls, who finished the year at 22-5 overall. Stenglein scored 11 of his points in the first half as the Golden Flyers built a 36-31 lead. Park had six points in the first half, including a pair of basket-jarring dunks that inspired the sell-out crowd of more than 1,100.
Gabel and Logan Blankenberg hit back-to-back 3-pointers to trigger a 12-2 second-half scoring run that pushed Nazareth's lead to 48-33 with less than 15 minutes to play. The Owls couldn't recover even though they closed to within three points with less than seven minutes to play. Underwood, in particular, came up big for the Golden Flyers in scoring 15 of his points over the final 20 minutes.
Stenglein sank two free throws with 1:27 left to put Nazareth up 73-65. The Owls scored the next two baskets to pull within 73-69 with :35 to go. Underwood made two free throws and Stenglein closed it out with three more before time expired.
Stenglein's stat line included four assists and an 11-for-13 effort from the free throw line. Underwood shot 7-for-11 from the field and went 7-for-7 from the line. Nazareth shot 26-for-62 (41.9%) from the field with four three-pointers. Westfield State was 26-for-61 (42.6%) from the floor with five three-pointers.