CORTLAND, N.Y. – SUNYIT overcame a 6-point deficit with less than two minutes left in regulation to force overtime and the Wildcats defeated Cortland, 87-79, in a non-league matchup. Both teams are now 4-2 on the season.

Ryan James (Saratoga Springs) led SUNYIT with 23 points and Maverick Hodge (Bronx/Samuel Gompers) added 21 points, six assists and three steals. Hodge scored the final six points of the second half, including the game-tying layup with 23 seconds left, and tallied six points in overtime.

Also for the Wildcats, Alexander Drake (West Sand Lake/Lansingburgh) finished with 16 points and three assists and Kaleel Johnson (Syracuse/Syracuse Academy of Science) recorded 12 points and a game-high 19 rebounds along with three assists.

Senior Kevin McMahon (Hoosick Falls) led Cortland with 24 points and 14 rebounds for his third double-double in Cortland's six games this season. He made 11-of-14 shots from the field and also totaled four assists and two blocks. Junior Lamard Herron (Westbury) registered 15 points and seven assists.

Sophomore Blair Estarfaa (Buffalo/Maryvale) finished with 13 points and six rebounds – both career highs – and sophomore T.J. Hefele (Greenlawn/Friends Academy) scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds. Freshman Andrew Golden (Oxford/Oxford Academy) hit 3-of-6 shots from 3-point range and finished with a career-best nine points.

Cortland trailed 31-21 with four minutes left in the first half but closed to within 38-35 at halftime. The Red Dragons took their first lead of the game a 39-38 on a McMahon layup 1:04 into the second half, but SUNYIT went on a 14-5 run and led 52-44 after a layup by James with 13:27 left.

Cortland responded with a 10-0 run, capped by an Estarfaa jumper, and the Red Dragons led 54-52 with 10:50 left. Cortland took its largest lead at 66-60 on a Golden trey with 4:12 left and still led by six at 68-62 after Estarfaa made 2-of-3 foul shots with 1:55 on the clock.

Hodge scored with 1:34 remaining to cut the Cortland lead to four. The Wildcats committed three quick fouls to intentionally put the Red Dragons in the bonus and Cortland missed a foul shot with 1:09 left. Hodge then hit a layup with 58 seconds left to make it a 2-point game.

Cortland turned the ball with 28 seconds left and Hodge scored off a Drake assist with 23 seconds left to tie the game at 68-68. The Red Dragons had a chance to win the game in regulation but missed a 3-pointer with three seconds left.

In overtime, SUNYIT took a quick 5-point lead on two Drake 3-pointers, sandwiched around one McMahon foul shot. Cortland, however, eventually tied the game at 77-77 when McMahon put back his own miss with 57 seconds left.

Hodge was fouled with 33 seconds left and hit two free throws to give the Wildcats the lead. Hodge then stole the ball on Cortland's next possession and the Red Dragons were forced to foul. Drake missed both free throws, but Johnson grabbed the offensive rebound, was fouled, and hit both free throws to make it an 81-77 game with 15 seconds left.

Hefele made two free throws with nine seconds left to cut the Wildcats' lead to two, but Drake answered with two foul shots shortly thereafter. Following a Cortland turnover and intentional foul, Hodge made four straight free throws to finish the scoring.

Cortland will play at Utica College on Dec. 31 at 1 p.m. in a makeup of a game originally scheduled to be played in Cortland last month.