Nov 19, 2019
ITHACA, N.Y. – Nationally 22nd-ranked Ithaca outscored Cortland 18-2 over the final five minutes and 43 seconds to erase a five-point deficit and the Bombers defeated the Red Dragons, 70-59, in a non-league contest.
Grace Cannon led Ithaca (1-1) with 26 points, 11 rebounds and three assists. She made 10-of-18 field goals and 6-of-7 free throws. Cassidy O'Malley added 18 points and 12 rebounds
Casey Travers (Manorville/Eastport-South Manor) was one of four double-figure scorers for Cortland (2-1) with 14 points, including three 3-pointers. Beth Bonin (Cicero/Cicero-North Syracuse) also hit three treys and finished with 13 points and six rebounds. Sarah Tully (East Aurora) registered a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds and Nyia Longford (Medford/Longwood) scored 12 points.
Cortland led 26-19 with 3:35 left in the first half before the Bombers scored the final five points to pull with 26-24 at the break. Ithaca opened up a 10-point lead twice in the last two minutes of the third quarter, the last at 48-38 on a Natalie Smith layup with 1:12 left. Cortland, however, used a Travers 3-pointer, a Bonin jumper, and a Travers three as the period ended to cut its deficit to 48-46 entering the fourth.
A Longford 3-pointer with 6:59 remaining and two Shannon McGuire (West Babylon) free throws at the 5:56 mark gave Cortland a 57-52 lead. An O'Malley layup, two Cannon free throws and a Cannon layup re-established the lead for Ithaca at 58-57 with 4:25 left.
The teams combined for only two points over the next two-plus minutes – an O'Malley layup with 2:45 left. The Red Dragons trailed by three when Cannon got a steal and layup with 1:56 left. Cortland missed 3-pointers on its next two possessions, and Cannon and O'Malley each hit a free throw to give Ithaca a 64-57 lead with 36 seconds left and the margin remained at least seven from that point.
Ithaca shot 44 percent from the field, including 58 percent (15-of-26) in the second half. Cortland finished at 32 percent overall and 25 percent (8-of-32) from 3-point range. Ithaca held a 17-7 advantage on the foul line.
Cortland will host Elmira next Tuesday, Nov. 26, at 5 p.m. in a non-league game. The start time has been moved up to 5 p.m. from its original 7 p.m. start.