Jan 24, 2020
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Beth Bonin (Cicero/Cicero-North Syracuse) scored 14 of her game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter and Plattsburgh missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining as Cortland defeated the host Cardinals, 56-50, in a SUNYAC women's basketball matchup.
Cortland improved to 14-1 overall and 8-0 in league play. The Red Dragons are off to their best start since Cortland began the 2006-07 season with a 21-1 mark.
Bonin shot 7-for-18 from the field and 7-of-9 from the foul line and finished with 23 points along with nine rebounds and four steals. Sarah Tully (East Aurora) and Nyia Longford (Medford/Longwood) each scored seven points, with Tully adding five rebounds. Maggie Malone (Cornwall) made two 3-pointers and finished with six points and Meghan Flanagan (Rochester/Brighton) led the Red Dragons with eight rebounds.
Taylor Clare was the lone double-figure scorer for Plattsburgh (5-10, 2-6 SUNYAC) with 14 points and also led the Cardinals with seven rebounds and three blocks. Taylor Durnin and Kelly Degnan tallied nine points apiece.
Cortland led 16-6 late in the first quarter and 16-8 after one period, but Plattsburgh closed to within 24-20 at halftime. The Red Dragons, who never trailed, took their largest lead at 36-24 on two Tully free throws with 2:33 left in the third, but Plattsburgh cut its deficit in half before the end of the quarter and entered the fourth down 36-30.
Longford hit a jumper with 3:53 remaining to put Cortland ahead 47-36. Plattsburgh scored 11 of the next 14 points, capped by Clare's layup with 1:17 on the clock to cut Cortland's lead to 50-47. Bonin hit a layup on a fast break with 1:10 left to extend the margin to five but, following a turnover for each team, Durnin sank two free throws with 44 seconds left to again make it a three-point game.
Plattsburgh quickly got the ball back on a Kayla Doody steal and Clare was fouled with 26 seconds left. She made one of two free throws to draw the hosts to within two at 52-50. Longford was fouled with 18 seconds left and hit the second of her two foul shots to give Cortland a three-point lead. Durnin's attempt at a tying trey was off the mark with 11 seconds left. Bonin grabbed the rebound and was fouled. She made two foul shots with less than six seconds left then, after she stole the ball, was fouled and hit one free throw to finish the scoring.
Both teams struggled offensive throughout the contest. Cortland shot 32 percent from the field (22 percent from 3-point range) and committed 26 turnovers, while Plattsburgh made only 27 percent of its field goals (11 percent from the 3-point arc) and turned the ball over 20 times.
Cortland will play at Potsdam Saturday at 2 p.m.