CORTLAND, N.Y. – Junior Brian Manning (Elmira/Southside) matched his career high with 19 points to lead three players in double figures as the Cortland men's basketball team defeated Utica, 73-62, Tuesday night in non-conference action at Corey Gymnasium. The Red Dragons improved to 11-4 with the win, while the Pioneers fell to 4-11.

Junior Jesse Winter (Rockville Centre/South Side) added 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals for Cortland, and junior Jeremy Smith (Bronx/Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy) scored 14 points. Manning chipped in with a game-high four steals and four rebounds, and sophomore Kevin McMahon (Hoosick Falls) scored eight points and grabbed six caroms.

Junior Jeff Ward (Ossining) led the Pioneers with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and added six rebounds. Sophomore Chris Jeffers (Albany/Bishop Maginn) netted nine points, pulled down eight rebounds and registered three steals, and sophomore Jevin McClendon (Poughkeepsie/Our Lady of Lourdes) had eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

The Red Dragons took a 38-20 lead at intermission, holding Utica to 5-of-24 shooting (20.8 percent) from the field. Trailing 12-10 at the 8:39 mark of the opening 20 minutes, Cortland outscored the Pioneers 28-8 to close the half. Winter scored 11 and Manning added 10 points.

Cortland led by 20 points, 52-32, at 13:41 of the second half before Utica made a run to get back into the game, cutting the lead to 59-51 on a layup by Jeffers at 6:41. The Red Dragons pushed the lead back to double digits on a three-pointer by Winter and led 68-55 on junior Harrison Hefele's (Greenlawn/Friends Academy) layup at the 3:46 mark. The Pioneers got no closer than eight points the remainder of the game as Cortland earned the win. 

Box Score/Play-by-Play