UTICA OUTSCORES NAZARETH, 82-56
Golden Flyers (7-15) visits Hartwick Saturday at 4 p.m.
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UTICA, N.Y. (Feb. 9, 2007) -- Host Utica raced to an early lead and were never seriously threatened Friday in women's basketball as the Pioneers defeated Nazareth, 82-56.

Nazareth is 7-15 overall and 3-8 in Empire 8 Conference games. Utica, solidly entrenched in third place in the Empire 8, improved to 15-7 overall and 7-4 in conference games.

Nazareth's Ali Sharpe scored the game's first basket, but it was all Utica. The Pioneers used a 15-2 scoring spurt to build a double-digit advantage before the game was five minutes old. Utica led by as many as 22 points in the first half before settling for a 44-25 lead at the break.

Utica's lead continued to grow in the second half as Nazareth made just 11 of 31 shots, including 1 of 8 from three-point range. Utica also benefitted from a 41-33 rebounding advantage.

Freshman Whitney Smith (pictured) came off the bench to lead Nazareth in scoring with 16 points. Senior Stephanie Bowens added 13. Utica's Laura Keating led all scorers with 22 points. Ava Thomas added 17 points and 17 rebounds and Mallory Davis scored 12.

Nazareth plays again Saturday at Hartwick at 2 p.m. (WHTK-AM 1280 / www.whtk.com).