Box Score Box
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Host Rochester led by as many as 15 points in the first half, but then had to rally in the second half to defeat Nazareth in a non-conference men's basketball game, 61-56, at the Alexander Palestra. The game was the season opener for both teams.  

Junior Mitch Ford scored a game-high 21 points for the Golden Flyers, who also got 11 points and nine rebounds from junior Maurice Mills and 10 points from junior newcomer Nick Nadeau.

Rochester made 12 of 28 first-half shots and led by as many as 15 points in the first half, 35-20, following an old-fashioned three-point play by Sam Borst-Smith with 1:42 left. Nazareth closed to within 37-26 by halftime and then used a 30-16 scoring run to take the lead late in the second half.

Missed free throws by the Golden Flyers enabled the Yellowjackets to stay ahead, but Nazareth finally took the lead at 52-51 following a pair of free throws by Ford with 5:38 left. Nadeau, a transfer from Hilbert College, followed with a steal and a basket to extend the lead to 54-51.

The Yellowjackets answered with a basket by Borst-Smith, but Ford hit a short jumper with the shot clock winding down with 1:28 left to push Nazareth back in front by three, 56-53. Two free throws by Jared Seltzer trimmed Nazareth's lead to one, 56-55, then Borst-Smith stole a pass and made the resulting layup to enable UR to regain the lead for good, 57-56, with :48 left. Nazareth turned the ball over on its next possession and UR made four free throws in the closing seconds -- two by Kevin Sheehy and two by Zack Ayers -- to seal the win.

Nazareth struggled shooting the ball much of the night, making 19 of 54 shots (35.2 percent) from the field and 6 of 25 three-pointers (24 percent). The Golden Flyers went 12 for 20 from the free throw line (60 percent). The Yellowjackets made 19 of 47 shots (40.4 percent) and 7 of 22 three-pointers (31.8 percent). They also went 16 for 18 from the free throw line (88.9 percent). Seltzer was UR's high scorer with 12 points. Borst-Smith added 10 as nine different players scored.

Nazareth is back in action Friday at 6:30 p.m. against St. Mary's College of Maryland in the first round of the Medaille Invitational.