Box | Updated stats
Tournament page
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Freshman Brad Ford scored 13 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds Saturday to earn tournament MVP honors as seventh-seeded Nazareth won the championship of the 45th annual Wendy's College Classic with a thrilling 62-60 men's basketball victory over the Unviersity of Rochester.

The victory, at Roberts Wesleyan's Voller Athletic Center, improved Nazareth's overall record to 5-1 as the Golden Flyers won their sixth Wendy's Tournament title and their first since 2003. The victory also snapped a string of 13 straight losses to the Yellowjackets. In fact, Nazareth's last win over UR came in the then-JPMorgan Chase Tournament final at Roberts Wesleyan in January of 2003.

"It means a lot for our program," said second-year head coach Kevin Broderick. "Our guys needed to play hard to come out on top in this field. This is one of the best Division III tournaments in the country."

Ford was one of three Nazareth players to score in double figures. Junior Phil Scaffidi scored 11 points and was named to the all-tournament team and junior Jason Corletta, who made three key foul shots in the closing seconds, finished with 10 points. Sophomore Tyshun Stephens also represented Nazareth on the all-tournament team.

Nazareth led most of the game after jumping out to an 18-4 lead in the first nine minutes. Ford hit two three-pointers in the early run while Scaffidi and sophomore Dan Waldbillig each had two baskets.

Rochester gradually worked its way back into the game, closing to within six points, 32-26, by halftime as sophomore guard John DiBartolomeo scored eight of his game-high 19 points.

The Yellowjackets completed their comeback early in the second half by using a 9-2 scoring run to take a 35-34 lead. Junior Greg Lothridge answered with a three-point play for Nazareth as the Golden Flyers regained the lead, 37-35, with 14:40 left.

The score stayed close and UR tied the score at 55-55 on a jumper by DiBartolomeo with 2:47 left. Waldbillig and Scaffidi each sank a pair of free throws to put Nazareth back on top to stay, 59-55.

Nate Novosel sank two free throws for UR to cut the lead to 59-57, but Corletta made two free throws with :17 left and one more with :09 to keep the Golden Flyers on top.

Lothridge also had his best game of the season by scoring 9 points and grabbing 6 rebounds. Nazareth went 22 for 48 from the field and 13 for 19 from the free-throw line.

Nazareth has two games this week -- Tuesday at home against Buffalo State at 7 p.m. and Thursday at Ithaca at 7 p.m.

NOTES: UR's 13-game winning streak over Nazareth included a 79-74 win 11 days ago at the Palestra. The Yellowjackets won that game without the services of DiBartolomeo, who was recovering from a broken hand. He represented the Yellowjackets on the all-tournament team along with Rob Reid, who scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. . . Nazareth's other tournament titles came in 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 2003. The Golden Flyers also have appeared in the title game in 1981, 1990, 2008 and 2009.