CORTLAND, N.Y. – Senior Brian Manning scored 13 of his game-high 18 points in the second half as Cortland pulled away for an 86-59 win over visiting Potsdam in the SUNYAC opener for both teams. Cortland improved to 4-0 overall, its best start since going 4-0 to begin the 1991-92 season.

Manning finished 7-of-9 from the floor, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, and also hauled in five rebounds. Three other Red Dragons scored in double figures. Senior Harrison Hefele made 6-of-9 shots, 2-of-2 from the arc, and finished with 14 points, five rebounds and three assists. Junior Kevin McMahon scored 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting and grabbed six rebounds, while senior Jesse Winter recorded 12 points and four assists.

Also for Cortland, sophomore Lamard Herron scored nine points and registered six steals, senior Jeremy Smith had six points and five assists, and sophomore Matt McGowan led the team with a career-best seven rebounds.

Potsdam (1-3 overall) was paced by Mark Lake, Jr.'s 13 points. He hit 3-of-5 three-pointers. Curtis Pierce totaled 12 points and three assists and Rob Duquette scored 12 points.

Cortland shot 60 percent from the floor in the second half (18-of-30) and 52 percent for the game. The Red Dragons also made 13-of-16 (81 percent) from the foul line. Potsdam shot 38 percent from the field but only 42 percent (8-of-19) from the charity stripe.

In a closely contested first half, Potsdam was within three at 29-26 after Duquette's three-point play with 2:07 left. Cortland took a 36-28 lead on a McMahon three-point play with 41 seconds left, and his put-back at the buzzer gave the Red Dragons a 38-30 advantage.

Leading 45-35 with 17:09 remaining, Cortland mounted a 24-4 run over the next six and a half minutes to put the game away. Hefele scored the Red Dragons' first eight points of the run with a pair of three-pointers sandwiched around a layup. Manning tallied Cortland's next 11 points on a layup and three shots from the three-point arc. Smith made two foul shots at the 10:52 mark and Herron completed the streak with a three-point play with 10:30 left. Cortland led by at least 24 from that point.

The Red Dragons host Plattsburgh Saturday at 4 p.m. and Potsdam travels to Oswego.