CORTLAND, N.Y. - Oneonta shot 72 percent from the floor in the second half to extend a three-point halftime lead and the Red Dragons defeated host Cortland, 95-86, in a SUNYAC men's basketball contest.
Lawrence Coleman scored 29 points and grabbed eight rebounds and Mikey McElroy scored 20 points and added five rebounds for the guests, who connected on 18-of-25 shots from the floor over the final 20 minutes and ended the game at 59 percent (29-of-49). Coleman ended 7-of-10 and McElroy 7-of-11 from the field. Oneonta (7-6, 4-2 SUNYAC) also connected on 32-of-42 free throws (76 percent), including 15-of-18 by Coleman.
Cortland (9-4, 4-2 SUNYAC) was led by Michael Kelly's (Monroe/Burke Catholic) career-high 23 points. He also tied his career best with four assists. Kelly hit 5-of-11 shots from 3-point range and 8-of-15 overall. Justin Cooper (Pine Plains/Stissing Mountain) recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, James Morales (Mount Kisco/Fox Lane) scored 13 points, and Zach Lydon (Elizaville/Stissing Mountain) scored 10 points and grabbed four boards in 18 minutes off the bench.
Oneonta trailed 22-15 midway through the first half, but fought back to eventually tie the game at 28-28 on a Coleman layup with 4:15 left. Coleman's two free throws put Oneonta up 32-30 with 1:43 left in the half, and the guests took a 36-33 lead into the halftime locker room.
Cortland took a couple of brief leads in the first two minutes of the second half, but Oneonta eventually grabbed the lead for good at 43-41 on a Coleman layup with 16:46 remaining. That hoop was part of a 17-5 run that gave the guests a 56-46 lead with 13:01 remaining.
The hosts drew as close as six at 67-61 on a Lydon hoop with 8:39 left, but Oneonta answered with seven straight points on a Carson Jacobs jumper, a Kevin Mackin 3-pointer and two Frankie Kelly free throws to take a 13-point lead with 5:59 left. The lead grew as high as 16 points with 3:45 left, with Cortland making one last push to as close as eight in the final minute.
Oneonta's Kelly finished with 14 points and eight assists. Of those totals, 12 points and five assists came in the second half. Jack Kolosky added 11 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Cortland shot 42 percent from the field, but only 31 percent (10-of-32) from the 3-point arc.
Cortland will travel to Potsdam next Friday and Plattsburgh next Saturday for SUNYAC contests.