Box | Updated stats
Updated bracket
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Second-seeded St. John Fisher rallied from a nine-point second-half deficit Thursday and scored the winning basket with 3.5 seconds left as the Cardinals defeated third-seeded Nazareth, 55-53, in the semifinals of the JPMorgan Chase Scholarship Tournament for women's basketball.

In the game played at RIT's Clark Gymnasium, the Golden Flyers led for most of the game, but Fisher closed the game with a 10-1 scoring run over the final three minutes to rally for the win. Nazareth (7-5 overall) will play in the third-place consolation game Saturday against Brockport at 1 p.m. at RIT. Fisher (9-3) will play top-seeded Rochester for the championship at 5:30 p.m. UR, ranked first nationally, remained unbeaten at 13-0 with a 70-45 win over Brockport in the other semifinal game.

The Golden Flyers seemed comfortably ahead when they stretched their second-half lead to nine points, 48-39, following a basket by Lizzie Barlow with 9:07 to play. Fisher stayed close, but Nazareth still led by seven, 53-46, following a free throw by freshman Katie Kollar with 2:44 left. Fisher then scored the last nine points to win the game.

The Cardinals' Stephanie Sweeney made two free throws for Fisher to tie the score 53-53 with 1:08 left. After a steal by Fisher's Kayleigh Comfort, Sweeney passed the ball into the paint to Mary Kate Comfort, who banked in the winning field goal with 3.5 seconds left. Nazareth called timeout, but never managed to get off a final shot.

Nazareth led 26-24 at halftime as Kollar and junior Sally Wilcox each scored seven points. Junior Kelly Dunne played just six minutes in the first half and was held scoreless after picking up two early fouls. She scored two baskets in the second half.

Fisher's offensive woes were compounded by poor foul shooting as the Cardinals made just 17 of 35 shots from the line. Both teams shot 34 percent from the field.

Freshman Brittany Wilson was Nazareth's high scorer with 12 points. Kollar finished with eight. Amanda Lax scored 13 for Fisher; Sweeney and Mary Kate Comfort each scored 10.

Thursday's game was the first of three scheduled meetings between Nazareth and St. John Fisher this season. The teams meet twice in Empire 8 Conference play -- Jan. 24 at Fisher and Feb. 7 at Nazareth.