Box Score Box l Updated stats
ITHACA, N.Y. -- Ithaca defeated visiting Nazareth 70-63 in a men's Empire 8 basketball game Saturday afternoon. The Bombers sealed the victory by going 6-6 from the free throw line in the final minute of regulation. Senior Jason Corletta finished with a team-high 19 points for the Golden Flyers.

Following the loss, Nazareth drops to 7-5 overall and 1-1 in Empire 8 contests. Ithaca improves to 5-8 overall and remains unbeaten in conference games with a 2-0 record.

Nazareth trailed 19-13 half way through the first period before claiming the lead thanks following a 13-0 scoring run. Senior Greg Lothridge capped the run with a short jumper and had a total of six points during the run. Corletta contributed five points and senior Phil Scaffidi had two points, which gave the Golden Flyers a 26-19 lead with 6:05 to play in the first half.
 
Coming off the bench, Lothridge ignited the Golden Flyers as he amassed 10 points (5-7 from the field) and six rebounds during his first half action. Corletta finished with 11 points to lead all players in scoring during the first 20 minutes.
 
A 5-0 run by Ithaca cut Nazareth's lead to 30-28 in the closing minutes of the half. In the final seconds of the first half, sophomore Brad Ford collected the rebound off senior Tyshun Stephens' missed shot and tapped the ball back into the cylinder to provide the Golden Flyers with a 32-28 halftime advantage.
 
Ithaca scored the first four points of the second half on four free throws to tie the game at 32 points apiece. Corletta answered with a basket for Nazareth to reclaim the Golden Flyers' lead. Jordan Marcus provided the Bombers with their first lead of the second half, 38-37, with a layup. Frank Mitchell extended Ithaca's lead to five points with baskets on the Bombers' next two possessions.
 
Following a layup by Corletta, freshman Jamell Johnson stole the in-bounds pass scored on a layup to trim Nazareth's deficit to 44-43 with 12:25 to play in regulation. The Bombers extended their lead to six points multiple times over the next several minutes as the Golden Flyers attempted to rally. Ithaca held Nazareth without a field goal for 3:16 to maintain its small lead. A bucket by Stephens with 6:13 to play in regulation ended the drought. Despite the Bombers' persistent defense, Nazareth closed to within three points, 60-57, with 4:14 to play following a free throw by Stephens.
 
The Golden Flyers remained within a couple of possessions through the final minutes before Ithaca secured the victory by converting its free throw attempts. The Bombers finished 24-30 (80 percent) from the charity stripe for the game. Free throws were Nazareth's achilles heel as the Golden Flyers finished 10-20 from the free throw line.

In addition to the points from Corletta, Stephens and Lothridge also finished in double figures with 16 points and 11 points, respectively. Ford finished with a game-high 13 rebounds for the Golden Flyers. Scaffidi also collected 11 rebounds. The Golden Flyers finished with a 45-29 advantage in total rebounds, including 24-2 in offensive rebounds. In the second half, however, Nazareth connected on just 11-39 from the field (28 percent) to allow Ithaca to hold on for the victory.

Frank Mitchell recorded a game-high 25 points and Christian Jordan and Marcus recorded 10 points apiece for the Bombers. Mitchell finished 7-10 from the charity stripe for Ithaca.

The Golden Flyers return to the Kidera Gymnasium on January 10th to host Wells in a non-conference contest.