GENESEO, N.Y.—Junior Melanie Patterson posted team-highs with 18 points, eight rebounds, and five assists for the William Smith College basketball team in its final game of the Wendy's College Classic, but Nazareth College used a late surge to take a 79-68 win at SUNY Geneseo this afternoon. This is the 32nd and final edition of the eight-team tournament.
 
The Herons held the upper hand in points off turnovers (29-19) and bench scoring (30-11) and had a 41-39 edge in rebounds, but the Golden Flyers had more second chance points (15-11) and made more free throws than William Smith attempted (19-13).
 
Nazareth (5-2) used a 12-3 run over the final four minutes of the first half to carry a 40-31 lead into halftime. Lindsey Kelly (25 pts, 15 rebs) started the run with a traditional 3-point play, followed by 3-pointers from Julia Brew (9 pts, 4 assts), Sam Sorge (20 pts), and Kelly Broderick. The Golden Flyers were 6-of-13 from long range in the first half.
 
Veronica Peck (12 pts) opened the third quarter scoring with a 3-pointer and Kelly followed with a layup to stretch the Nazareth lead to a game-high 14, 45-31. William Smith rallied with a 13-2 run near the end of the third quarter and entered the final frame down five, 55-50. The Heron run also featured the 3-ball, with sophomore Sarah Brophy, Patterson, and first-year Mara Sindoni connecting from beyond the arc. Sindoni was 4-of-5 from the floor, including 2-of-3 from deep, and finished with a season-high 10 points.
 
With a layup four minutes into the fourth quarter, junior Courtney Chase tied the game at 59. The Golden Flyers missed their next shot, giving the Herons a chance to take their first lead since the first quarter. William Smith had two looks at the basket over the next minute that would have given it the lead, but neither shot fell through the cylinder and Nazareth was able to pull away down the stretch.
 
The Herons (1-6) are back in action on Friday, Dec. 11 when they host Ithaca at 7 p.m. in Bristol Gym.