CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Cortland women's basketball team scored the game's first 18 points and led by double figures the rest of the way in an 81-45 victory over visiting Plattsburgh. The Red Dragons won their 15th straight game to improve to 16-2 overall and 12-0 in SUNYAC play. 
 
Shannon McGuire (West Babylon) led Cortland with 18 points, eight rebounds and four steals and Maggie Malone (Cornwall) finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and a career-high tying four assists. They each shot 6-of-12 from the floor, with McGuire connecting on 4-of-8 3-pointers and Malone hitting 3-of-4 treys. 
 
Corinne Miedreich (Pearl River) made 5-of-9 shots and ended with 12 points and three assists and Nyia Longford (Medford/Longwood) scored 10 points, led the team with a career-high tying five assists, and shared the team lead with eight rebounds. Fiona Mullen (Orangeburg/Tappan Zee) dished out a career-best four assists and Paige Keeler (Syracuse/Jamesville-DeWitt) made 2-of-3 field goals and both of her free throws for six points. 
 
Payton Couture scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Misa Dowdell hauled in a team-best eight rebounds for Plattsburgh (5-14, 2-10 SUNYAC). 
 
Cortland's opening 18-point run featured seven points from Malone and six by McGuire, along with a Jess Womble (Wheatley Heights/Half Hollow Hills East) 3-pointer and two Miedreich free throws. The Red Dragons held the Cardinals off the scoreboard until Couture hit a 3-pointer with 2:35 left in the opening quarter. 
 
Cortland led 27-5 after one quarter, but Plattsburgh fought back to within 11 points on two occasions in the second period. The Red Dragons scored five of the final six point of the quarter on a McGuire 3-pointer and a Miedreich jumper and led 39-24 at halftime. 
 
The margin for Cortland was 13 points with less than three minutes remaining in the third before the Red Dragons closed out the quarter on a 12-1 run. The lead ranged from 22 to the final margin of 36 points over the last 10 minutes. 
 
Cortland hosts Potsdam Saturday at 2 p.m.