ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Despite leading for most of the contest -- by as many as 11 in the first half -- Houghton women's basketball went scoreless over the final three minutes in a heartbreaking 68-63 loss at Nazareth on Friday night.

The Highlanders led 16-13 after the first quarter and pushed the advantage to 26-15 midway through the second quarter. Houghton took a 34-29 lead into the locker room and still led by that five-point margin after three periods of play. The lead grew to seven before the hosts responded to tie the score at 57 with 4:14 left. Houghton quickly answered with six-straight points over the next minute to go up 63-57, but that's the last points Houghton would score. Nazareth finished the game on an 11-0 run to secure the win.

GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 63 | Nazareth – 68
Records: Houghton 11-12 (4-10 E8) | 16-7 (11-3 E8)
Location: Kidera Gymnasium | Nazareth College | Rochester, NY

NOTABLE STATS

• Leslie Moose led the Highlanders with 15 points and added five rebounds
• Emily Swanson contributed 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
• Brittany Lenart added 13 points
• Houghton shot 37 percent from the field and converted just 3 of 15 from long range
• Nazareth hit on 45 percent of their shots and 6 of 16 from three-point range

UP NEXT
The Highlanders will travel to Utica to take on the Pioneers on Saturday at 3 p.m.