SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Junior Jessica Laing (Bloomville/South Kortright) scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to earn tournament MVP honors and senior Maggie Byrne (Pearl River/Albertus Magnus) was named to the all-tournament team after scoring a career-best 23 points as Cortland defeated host Skidmore, 77-62, in the championship game of the Skidmore Invitational.
Laing recorded her fourth "double-double" in as many games this season for the Red Dragons (3-1). Byrne made four three-pointers, matched her career high with nine rebounds and dished out six assists. Sophomore Jennifer Patten (Bainbridge/Bainbridge-Guilford) added 10 points and five rebounds and senior Ali Canale (Oswego) finished with eight rebounds and five assists.
Sharlyn Harper led Skidmore (1-2) with 16 points and also grabbed seven rebounds. Laura Michel recorded 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Cortland shot 42 percent from the field while holding the Thoroughbreds to 28 percent shooting. The Red Dragons also made 27-of-30 free throws, including 9-of-10 each by Laing and Byrne, compared to Skidmore's 11-of-18 foul shooting.
The Red Dragons led 59-48 with 10:04 left, but the hosts went on a 13-0 run, led by Harper's eight points, and took a 61-59 lead with 7:28 left. Cortland, however finished the game on an 18-1 run to win going away. Byrne scored nine points in that stretch, including six free throws in the final 1:06.
Skidmore led 21-13 about 11 minutes into the game, but Byrne scored eight points and Laing five during a 17-2 run that gave the Red Dragons a 30-23 lead with 4:55 left in the half. Cortland led 38-33 at halftime and went on an 8-0 run early in the second half to open a double-digit lead.
Cortland will play Tuesday at Elmira College. The game time has been moved from 6 p.m. to 4 p.m., with the schools' men's teams playing at 6 p.m.
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