BUFFALO, N.Y.—Buffalo State led by as many as 14 points in the second half, but could not hold on as visiting Nazareth battled back for a 64-62 victory to claim the Betty Abgott Invitational today at the Buffalo State Sports Arena.
 
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE:  Nazareth – 64, Buffalo State - 64
LOCATION: Buffalo State Sports Arena – Buffalo, N.Y.
RECORDS: Nazareth (2-0), Buffalo State (2-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Princella McCullough (Rochester/Bishop Kearney) led Buffalo State with her third double-double in as many games, finishing with 19 points, 16 rebounds, four blocks and five steals.
• Mariah Rosario (Flushing/RFK) chipped in 13 points to go with nine board, and Taylor Graham (Santa Rosa, CA/Maria Carrillo) added seven points and four assists.
• The first half featured six lead changes and ended even at 31-31.
• Buffalo State opened the second half on a 13-2 run and stretched the lead to as many as 14 at 51-37 later in the third quarter.
• Nazareth would outscore the Bengals 27-11 over the final 12 minutes and 41 seconds, however to steal the win.
• The Bengals were still ahead by six to open the fourth quarter and continued to hold the lead until the Golden Flyers' Lizzie Straub hit a 3-pointer with 1:56 remaining to take their first lead since the opening half at 59-58.
• McCullough made 1 of 2 free throws at the other end, and Nazareth answered with another 3 to take a two-possession lead with a minute remaining.
• A McCullough layup cut the margin to two with 30 seconds left, but Nazareth sealed it with two free throws with 14 seconds left. 
• The Bengals completed the scoring with a McCullough layup at the buzzer.
• Buffalo State converted 23 Nazareth turnovers in 19 points, while the Golden Flyers only scored three points off 14 Bengal miscues. 
• The difference in the game came behind the arc where Nazareth finished 9 of 28, outscoring Buffalo State 27-12 from long range.

 
FOR THE FOES

• Rachel Benedict finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds. 
• Peebles scored 15 points, including two late free throws, and also had 11 rebounds and six assists.
• Straub and Sam Sorge finished with 10 points apiece.

 
THE CONSOLATION GAME

• Thiel held off Cazenovia in the consolation game for the 72-63 victory.
• Jess Vormelker led five Tomcats scoring in double-figures with 22 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.  Taylor Duchon added 13 points and seven boards.
• Skylar Girard paced Cazenovia with 24 points, while Taylor Spranger added 15, and Kelli Shepardson had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

 
ALL-TOURNEY TEAM

• MVP: Rachel Benedict (Nazareth); ALL-TOURNEY: Samantha Peebles (Nazareth), Princella McCullough (Buffalo State), Jess Vormelker (Thiel), Skylar Girard (Cazenovia).

 
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