NAZARETH FALLS TO WESLEYAN, 56-54
Golden Flyers play again Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
BOXSCORE | UPDATED STATS

SARATOGA SPRINGS , N.Y. (Dec. 3, 2004) – Wesleyan led 29-25 at halftime and withstood every second-half challenge the Golden Flyers could muster Friday in defeating Nazareth 56-54 in men's basketball. The game, played in the opening round of the Skidmore College Tournament, evened Wesleyan's record at 3-3 and dropped Nazareth to 2-2.

Trailing by two, 56-54, in the final minute of play, Nazareth turned the ball over with :03 left while trying to launch the game-tying shot.
Wesleyan will play for the tournament championship Saturday at 3:30 p.m. against host Skidmore. Nazareth will play CCNY for the consolation prize at 1:30 p.m. (WHTK-AM 1280). Skidmore defeated CCNY in the second game, 85-58.

Senior Ryan Shipley (pictured) posted game highs in points (22) and rebounds (15), but it wasn't enough as Nazareth shot just 3-for-11 from three-point range and committed 19 turnovers. The Golden Flyers played without freshman guard Brian Ameneiros, who was serving a one-game disciplinary suspension.

Nazareth led 25-24 following a basket by Shipley with 1:28 left in the first half. Wesleyan, however, scored the last five points of the half to take a 29-25 lead at the break and Nazareth never caught up.

Nazareth closed within two points on six occasions in the second half, the final time coming on a basket by Shipley with :51 left. Nazareth got the ball back on a Wesleyan turnover with :23 left, but the Golden Flyers were get a shot off before the final horn.

Shipley went 8-for-12 from the field and also had four blocks. Junior Matt Groot also reached double figures with 10 points.

Tim Holland scored 15 points for Wesleyan of Middletown, Conn. Jared Ashe scored 14.