ROCHESTER, N.Y. (January 20, 2017) – The Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team overcame a seven-point halftime deficit Friday night in an 80-77 Empire 8 road win over Nazareth.

The win moved Stevens to 12-3, while Naz fell to 8-6.

Senior Evan Klimchak scored 22 to lead the Ducks offensively, while freshman Colin McKenna and senior Patrick Barron scored 12 and 11 respectively. Junior Thomas Cook and freshman Spencer Cook combined for 11 rebounds in the Ducks frontcourt. 

Stevens shot 44 percent from the field, and scored 20 points off 13 Naz turnovers. 

Stevens pulled ahead by one seven minutes in off a layup from junior Jake Krantz, before S. Cook's three-point play on the Ducks next possession extended the lead to four. Naz responded with a 9-0 run however to pull ahead by five with just over eight minutes to play, followed by a three-point play of their own to go up eight. 

The Ducks answered back with a 7-2 run to pull within four with under seven to play, but Naz built its lead back to 11 before a free throw in the final seconds put Stevens in a seven-point hold heading into the break.

Stevens stayed within striking distance throughout the early parts of the second, getting to within two with 7:21 remaining off a layup from McKenna. A layup from T. Cook three minutes later sliced the lead to one, before Kilmchak converted a layup on the next possession to put Stevens back in front with under four to play.

Klimchak extended the lead to five with a jumper just past the two-minute mark, before T. Cook's three-point play made it six with 42 ticks left on the clock. Naz continued to battle and got within two with three seconds to go with a heave from behind the arc, but sophomore Ryan Coffey converted one of two from the live with one second left on the clock to seal the crucial win. 

The Ducks will continue their two-game road swing tomorrow at Fisher at 4 p.m.

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