OSWEGO, N.Y. – Junior Jeremy Smith scored a career-high 37 points and set a SUNYAC tournament single-game record with nine three-pointers as Cortland defeated Geneseo, 68-59, in the league's semifinal round. The Red Dragons (21-6) will face host and top-seeded Oswego in the championship game Saturday at 4 p.m. Cortland will be making its first title game showing since 2001 and seeks its first conference crown since 2000.
Smith made 9-of-12 three-pointers to break the previous conference tournament mark of eight set by Oswego's Jeff Robbins in 2003. Smith has also already tied the record for most three-pointers made in an entire SUNYAC tournament with 12 over Cortland's first two games. Smith's nine treys versus Geneseo were one shy of Cortland's single-game school record of 10 set by Dave Maggiacomo in the 2006-07 season at Fredonia.
Junior Brian Manning finished with 14 points and six rebounds. He made 4-of-10 three-pointers. Junior Jesse Winter contributed eight points and seven assists and sophomore Kevin McMahon blocked a career-high five shots for the second straight game. His 10 blocks in two games are one short of tying the tournament record.
Cortland shot 15-of-30 as a team from behind the three-point arc. The Red Dragons missed the SUNYAC tournament record for made three-pointers by one – Oswego hit 16 treys in the 2003 game versus Oneonta in which Robbins made his previous record eight.
Jordan Jones led Geneseo (14-13) with 13 points. Matt Curry scored 12 points and Ryan Riefenhauser finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
Smith scored 19 first-half points to help Cortland take a 33-29 halftime lead. The Red Dragons grabbed their largest lead at 44-34 on a Smith three-pointer with 15:50 left, but Geneseo scored the next 10 points, the first eight by Curry, and tied the game at 44-44 with 11:36 remaining.
Leading 55-54 with just over four minutes, Cortland extended its lead to four on a Manning three-pointer. Geneseo responded with a Connor Fedge layup at the 3:27 mark, but Red Dragon senior Nick Sutedjo buried a three-pointer with 2:53 left to put Cortland up four.
Riefenhauser made 1-of-2 free throws with 1:29 left to keep the Knights within four, but Smith nailed his ninth three-pointer of the night with 59 seconds remaining to put Cortland ahead by seven. Smith hit four free throws in the final 30 seconds to complete the scoring.