CORTLAND, N.Y. – Nyia Longford (Medford/Longwood) scored 16 points to lead three Cortland double-figure scorers as the Red Dragons defeated Oswego, 55-49, in a SUNYAC women's basketball game at Corey Gymnasium.
 
Cortland, playing at home for the first time since Dec. 3, improved to 12-2 overall and 8-0 in league play with its 11th straight victory.
 
Longford, in addition to her 16 points, also grabbed six rebounds and led Cortland with five assists. Maggie Malone (Cornwall) finished with 12 points and five rebounds and Sarah Tully (East Aurora) made 5-of-8 shots and ended with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. Casey Travers (Manorville/Eastport-South Manor) totaled nine points, eight rebounds and three steals, Jess Womble (Wheatley Heights/Half Hollow Hills East) had four steals and three rebounds, and Julia Siler (Seaford)grabbed six rebounds.
 
Oswego (3-11, 0-8 SUNYAC) was led by Shania Iglesias with 14 points off the bench. She made 4-of-9 shots from 3-point range. Danielle Caivana added 12 points and three assists, Logan Castiglione scored eight points and grabbed eight boards, and Diamond Pickett led the Lakers with 10 rebounds.
 
Cortland opened a 17-5 lead in the first eight minutes of the game and led 17-8 after one quarter. The Red Dragons took their largest lead of the game at 34-18 on a Longford jumper with 2:21 left in the second quarter, but Oswego scored the last eight points of the period and trailed by eight, 34-26, at halftime.
 
The guests got as close as three points on two occasions in the third quarter, the second time at 36-33 on a Castiglione layup with 6:04 left. Cortland responded with nine straight points, starting with a Womble 3-pointer and a Corinne Miedreich (Pearl River) short jumper. Travers made a layup and Malone sank two free throws and the Red Dragons led 45-33 with 2:40 remaining in the quarter.
 
Oswego made a final push back to within six at 45-39 in the first minute and a half of the fourth quarter. Travers answered with a 3-pointer at the 8:08 mark, Caivana hit a layup with 6:38 left, and Longford hit a layup with 6:18 remaining and Cortland was up 50-41. Neither team scored again for more than four minutes until Tully's 3-point play with 2:14 left made it a 12-point game. Oswego scored eight of the last 10 points, including a basket at the buzzer, to create the final margin.
 
Cortland hosts New Paltz next Friday, Jan. 28, at 5:30 p.m. The Hawks defeated the Red Dragons in the 2020 SUNYAC tournament championship game.