Box | Updated Stats
ROCHESTER, NY -- Nazareth fell to Ithaca 50-49 in a heartbreaking Empire 8 loss Friday night. The Golden Flyers led the majority of the game but were unable to hold on in the final minutes. With the loss Nazareth falls to 12-12, 6-9 in the Empire 8. Ithaca clinched the regular-season E8 title with the win improving to 16-8, 12-3.
Ithaca's Megan Rumschik made the game-winning basket with :24 left to make the score 50-49. Nazareth had a chance on its next possession, but freshman
Brittany Wilson missed a jumper from the right baseline and Ithaca secured the rebound.
Ithaca proceeded to miss four free throws in the final 10 seconds, but Nazareth was unable to secure a quality scoring chance in the closing seconds before time expired.
The Golden Flyers took an early 6-0 lead before Ithaca's Megan Rumschik (East Amherst, NY) put the Bombers on the board with a made free throw four minutes in. Nazareth led by as many as eight points in the first half before Ithaca tied the score 20-20 with 6:35 remaining in the half. The Bombers took a slim 27-26 lead into the locker room.
The Flyers regained the lead just three minutes into the second half (32-29) off a three pointer by Kelly Dunne (East Northport, NY). Ithaca tied the score 39-39 with 9:49 remaining. Nazareth fought back and led by as much as five points, 49-44, following a basket by Sally Wilcox with 2:38 left .
Rumschik hit a layup with two minutes left to pull Ithaca within three points, 49-46. A couple missed free throws by the Golden Flyers and a made layup by Katherine Bixby (Philadelphia, PA) put the Bombers within one 49-48 with 1:38 left in the game. Rumschik scored the winning basket with :24 left to give the Bombers the 50-49 win.
Wilson led all players with 19 points, 10 rebounds and six steals. Dunne finished with eight points.
Bixby led the Bombers with 12 points. Rumschik and Elissa Klie (Wyckoff, NJ) each had 10 points and Tracy Bradley (Brunswick, ME) led Ithaca with nine rebounds and also had nine points.
Nazareth is home again on Tuesday, February 24 for its final home game of the season. They host Elmira at 6 p.m.
