CORTLAND, N.Y. –
Brooke Tillotson (Marathon) recorded 16 points and 12 rebounds for her first career double-double and
Sam Dembinsky (Wallkill) scored eight of her 11 points in a key stretch late in the first half as Cortland defeated visiting Potsdam, 65-40, in a SUNYAC women's basketball contest.
Cortland (18-3, 13-1 SUNYAC) is tied for 24th nationally in the WBCA Division III poll and is the top "others receiving votes" team in the D3hoops.com national poll. The Red Dragons are a half game behind SUNYAC leader New Paltz (14-1 conference) with four regular-season games remaining, all on the road, over the next two weeks.
Tillotson's 12 rebounds are a career best. She made 11-of-12 free throws and Cortland finished 19-for-24 as a team from the charity stripe. Dembinsky hit 5-of-8 shots in her 11-point effort, and
Sophie Bissaillon (East Greenbush/Columbia) tied her career high with 11 rebounds and added eight points on 3-of-5 shooting.
Jackie Funk (Penfield) and
Megan Milleville (Cambria/Starpoint) each scored eight points. Funk made two 3-pointers and Milleville was 4-of-7 from the floor.
Kaeli McAnally (Islip) dished out three of Cortland's 16 assists.
Potsdam (4-17, 3-11 SUNYAC) was led by DaeLynn Alcock with 21 points, including 9-of-11 shooting from the foul line. Sara Richards led the Bears with six rebounds and three assists.
Funk's two 3-pointers in the final 32 seconds of the first quarter gave Cortland a 14-7 lead. Potsdam was within 18-15 at the 5:46 mark of the second quarter and 22-17 with four minutes left, but Cortland finished the half on a 8-0 run on four Dembinsky baskets to take a 30-17 halftime lead. The lead grew to as high as 23 points in the third quarter and as much as 30 points in the fourth.
Cortland shot 36 percent overall from the field and Potsdam shot 33 percent, but Cortland held a 24-4 advantage in second-chance points behind 20 offensive rebounds, including five each by Tillotson and
Sarah Owen (Floral Park/Floral Park Memorial) and four by Bissaillon.
Prior to the game, Cortland honored its three seniors - Tillotson, McAnally and
Abby Sheehan (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa).
