Box Score Box l Updated stats
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Sophomore Lindsey Kelly connected on her game-winning shot just before the buzzer sounded to lift host Nazareth to a 54-53 victory over Utica in an Empire 8 women's basketball game on Friday evening. Kelly finished with a game-high 20 points on 10-14 shooting from the field.

With the victory, the Golden Flyers improve to 6-8 overall and 2-3 in Empire 8 games. Following the loss, the Pioneers drop to 5-9 overall and 0-5 in conference contests.

With 2.6 seconds to play in regulation and trailing 53-52, junior Hannah Runyon passed the ball inbounds from under Utica's basket to Kelly. As the final seconds ticked away, Kelly took a dribble to the right elbow of the lane and connected on a jumper to complete Nazareth's hard-fought rally. Just prior to Kelly's shot, sophomore Julia Brew had a shot opportunity that was off the mark and knocked out of play by Utica, which set up Runyon's baseline pass to Kelly.

The Golden Flyers held Utica to only 18 points in the second stanza, including zero points after Bridget Greenwald's three-point play with 5:35 to play. Following Greenwald's free throw, the Pioneers led 53-45. Greenwald's layup was also the only field goal Nazareth's tenacious defense allowed in the final 12:50 of regulation. During the second half, the Golden Flyers held Utica to 6-37 (16.2 percent) from the field and collected 29 rebounds. Nazareth, meanwhile, connected on 10 field goals in each half and finished shooting 20-58 (34.5 percent) for the game.

Trailing 49-36 with roughly 12 minutes left to play, Kelly ignited the game-winning scoring run with a jumper, which was followed by a pair of free throws from Runyon. Brew's three-point basket exactly midway through the half dropped the Golden Flyers' deficit to single digits, 49-41. Nazareth sliced the lead to four points with 8:12 to play after two free throws from sophomore Veronica Peck and a layup by junior Melissa Reeves.

With Greenwald's three-point play, Utica reclaimed an eight-point lead, but Brew answered on Nazareth's next possession with her third three-pointer of the game. Peck added two free throws with 2:14 left in regulation, before Kelly's jumper with 29 seconds to play cut Nazareth's deficit to 53-52. Seconds later, the Pioneers' Mary Miceli missed the front-end of a one-and-one free throw opportunity, which gave the Golden Flyers the chance for the game-winning shot.

Utica built its first-half lead by forcing Nazareth into 14 turnovers, including several 10-second violations. Using foul-court pressure after most scores, Utica limited the Golden Flyers' scoring opportunities. The Golden Flyers responded with only two turnovers and zero 10-second violations in the second stanza. Many of Nazareth's first-half turnovers led to fast-break points for Utica, which finished the opening half shooting 13-27 (48.1 percent) on their field goals.

In addition to the points from Kelly, Brew finished with six points while Runyon and Peck added eight points and six points, respectively. Reeves also scored five points while sophomore Colby McCartney and freshman Hailey Spoljaric chipped in two points apiece. Runyon finished with a game-high 11 rebounds as the teams each collected 44 boards.

Greenwald had a team-high 19 points for Utica while Samantha Stayer also finished in double-digits with 14 points.

The Golden Flyers are in action again on Saturday when Nazareth hosts Ithaca at 2 p.m.