CORTLAND, N.Y. – Junior Jeremy Smith (Bronx/Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy) scored 10 of his team-high 17 points in the second half as Cortland pulled away for a 70-56 victory over visiting Elmira College in the season opener for both teams.
Cortland went on a 12-3 run to extend a 46-41 lead with 10:59 remaining to 58-44 with 7:12 left. The Red Dragons led by double figures the rest of the game.
Senior Brian Manning (Emira/Southside) scored 10 points during that decisive stretch and finished with 12 points and six rebounds. Sophomore Kevin McMahon (Hoosick Falls) also scored 12 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Smith hit 5-of-8 shots, 3-of-6 from three-point range, and junior Harrison Hefele (Greenlawn/Friends Academy) registered six points, four assists, three blocked shots and three steals.
Josh Keys (Bel Air, MD/CM Wright) paced Elmira with 18 points and Matt Newell (Cranston, RI/St. Andrew's) scored 12 points. Keys made 5-of-10 three-pointers and Newell connected on 4-of-8 shots from behind the arc. Derrick Vogel (Bel Air, MD/CM Wright) added six points and team highs of seven rebounds and five assists.
Cortland led 28-26 at halftime. Elmira did almost all of its first-half damage from three-point range – the Soaring Eagles were 8-of-18 from downtown but only 1-of-17 from two-point territory in the half. The Red Dragons, however, limited Elmira to just 4-of-20 three-point shooting in the second half. Cortland shot 60 percent from the field in the second half and 45 percent for the game.
Cortland will play Delaware Valley College (Pa.) in the opening round of the Widener College (Pa.) Tip-Off Classic on Friday night at 8 p.m.