GENESEO, N.Y. – Senior Brittany Cohen (Fayetteville/Jamesville-DeWitt) recorded game-highs of 25 points and 10 assists and hit six of Cortland's SUNYAC tournament-record 14 three-pointers as the Red Dragons defeated host Geneseo, 70-64 in overtime, in the conference quarterfinals.
Cortland (16-10) will play at top-seeded Buffalo State in the semifinals Friday at 8 p.m. The other semifinal Friday, also at Buffalo State, features second-seeded New Paltz and third-seeded Oneonta. The championship game will be Saturday at 4 p.m. in Buffalo.
Cortland finished 14-of-40 from three-point range, breaking the conference tournament single-game records for three-pointers made and attempted. Cortland was one of three schools to previously hold the record of 10 three-pointers made in a 2006 game versus New Paltz, and New Paltz took 35 three-pointers in a game versus Oneonta in 2010.
The Red Dragons trailed by four points, 62-58, with less than 10 seconds remaining in regulation before rallying to force overtime. Senior Micki Volpini (Newfield) made a layup with less than 10 seconds left to cut the deficit to two. Geneseo turned the ball over after failing to get the ball in on the ensuing inbounds, and Cohen was fouled going to the basket with about three seconds left. She made both free throw attempts to tie the game.
In overtime, Geneseo took a 64-63 lead on a Lea Sobieraski layup with 2:06 left. Freshman Brittany Rando (Owego/Owego Free Academy) answered with a three-pointer at the 1:24 mark to give Cortland a 66-64 lead. Geneseo missed a three-pointer on its next possession. Cortland milked most of the shot clock before missing a trey with 36 seconds left, but Geneseo missed a layup with 21 seconds and Cohen grabbed the rebound. She made both foul shots with 18 seconds left to increase the lead to four and junior Katrina Davenport (Honeoye) finished the scoring with two foul shots with six seconds left.
Cohen hit 6-of-17 three-pointers and 7-of-23 overall from the field. She also hit 5-of-6 free throws and grabbed six rebounds. Volpini scored 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting with two three-pointers and Davenport finished with nine points, five rebounds and three steals.
Rando made 2-of-3 three-pointers and finished with eight points and five rebounds. Senior Ally Biordi (Beacon) led the team with seven rebounds.
Melissa Graham led the host Knights (16-10) with 18 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots. Sobieraski recorded 15 points and 12 rebounds and hit 7-of-11 shots.
Cortland has advanced to at least the SUNYAC semifinals every year since 1996. The Red Dragons have advanced to the league championship game 10 times in head coach Jeannette Mosher's first 13 years at the helm. They have won five league titles in that stretch (1999, 2000, 2004, 2007 and 2010) and seven overall.