CORTLAND, N.Y. – Zach Lydon (Elizaville/Stissing Mountain) hit the winning 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining as Cortland defeated nationally 15th-ranked Plattsburgh, 65-63, in a SUNYAC men's basketball game at Corey Gymnasium. Both teams are now 12-4 overall and 6-3 in league play.

Cortland trailed by 14 points early in the second half but went on a 17-2 run and took a 51-50 lead on a Nicky Bonura (Mount Kisco/Fox Lane) 3-pointer with 11:35. Plattsburgh, however, recovered and built a 60-53 lead with 5:47 left.

The Red Dragons closed back to within 60-59 on Kenny Charles' (Huntington) layup with 3:48 left. Plattsburgh used two Jonathan Patron free throws about 20 seconds later and one Chris Middleton foul shot at the 1:34 mark to go up by four.

Ryan Schmadel (Oriskany) connected on a trey with 1:07 left to once again make it a one-point game at 63-62. Plattsburgh missed a shot on its next trip and Cortland called timeout in the frontcourt with 41 seconds left. Bonura had what appeared to be a wide open look at a go-ahead layup with 29 seconds left but Middleton soared for a block that sent the ball out of bounds. After another timeout, Bonura was double-teamed on the right wing and found Lydon open at the top of the key. Lydon, who had missed his previous seven 3-point attempts, buried the shot to give Cortland a 65-63 lead.

Plattsburgh set up for a chance to tie or win, but a short jumper on a step-through move in the lane missed the mark and Schmadel grabbed the ball as it was going out of bounds as the buzzer sounded.

Brendan Fitzpatrick (Plainview/Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK) led Cortland with career highs of 16 points and three steals and matched his career best with three assists. He was 6-of-8 from the field, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range, and scored nine points in the second half.

Bonura scored 12 points, grabbed six rebounds and led the team with five assists. Schmadel finished with 11 points (3-of-6 from 3-point range), Charles added 10 points and blocked two shots, and Lydon ended with nine points, five rebounds and a game-high four blocks. Justin Cooper (Pine Plains/Stissing Mountain) led the Red Dragons with seven rebounds.

Patron, last year's SUNYAC Player of the Year, led the Cardinals with 29 points, 14 rebounds and four assists. Brandon Johnson scored 16 points and registered four steals and Middleton closed with 11 points and six rebounds.

Both teams had stronger first halves shooting compared to their second halves. Cortland shot 48 percent in the opening half and 36 percent in the second to finish at 42 percent. Plattsburgh shot 47 percent in the first 20 minutes but 24 percent after intermission to end at 37 percent. Cortland hit 8-of-32 shots from the 3-point arc compared to Plattsburgh making only 3-of-17 treys.

Cortland will host Buffalo State Friday at 7:30 p.m.