CORTLAND, N.Y. – Junior Jesse Winter scored a game-high 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field as Cortland defeated Plattsburgh, 75-66, in the SUNYAC opener for both teams. Cortland improves to 4-1 with the victory, while the Cardinals drop to 2-3.

Junior Brian Manning came off the bench to score 16 points and grab eight rebounds. He made 7-of-9 shots, including both of his three-point attempts. Junior Jeremy Smith finished with nine points and four assists and junior Dan Sternkopf blocked three shots and matched his career high with nine rebounds.

Shavar Fields led Plattsburgh with 17 points off the bench. John Perez scored 12 points, Gary Tibbs led the team with seven rebounds and Ketema Brooks dished out four assists.

Cortland shot 49 percent from the field (27-of-55) and made 16-of-19 free throws. Plattsburgh struggled from the foul line, hitting only 16-of-30 attempts (53 percent), and the Cardinals made 39 percent of their field goals.

Neither team led by more than five points in the first half. Cortland led 32-28 at the break and went up 58-48 on two John Connolly free throws with 8:02 left. Plattsburgh responded with six straight points, including a Mike Mitchell three-pointer, and was within 58-54 with 6:27 remaining.

Winter nailed a three-pointer with 5:58 left and a layup with 5:24 remaining to give Cortland a nine-point lead. Fields sank two free throws with 4:32 on the clock, but Winter made two foul shots at the 3:54 mark and hit a jumper with 2:46 left to give the Red Dragons an 11-point lead. Cortland led by at least eight points the rest of the way.

Cortland will host Potsdam Saturday at 4 p.m.