Score: SUNY Cortland 80, Elmira College 66
Records: SUNY Cortland (6-1), Elmira (1-6)
Location: Whitney T. Corey Gymnasium -- Cortland, NY
 
Cortland, NY -- Second-year talent Hayden Harkins '18 scored a team-high 17 points, but his efforts were not enough as SUNY Cortland pulled away in the final three minutes of the second half to claim an 80-66 victory. Harkins was one of three Soaring Eagles in double figures tonight, as Gino Leonardi '16 added 14 points while Justin Porrett '19 chipped in 12.
 
Elmira opened tonight's non-conference tilt with three straight makes, as Harkins knocked down two of his game's five three-point buckets. John Mullane '16 added the other make, a layup at the 17:53 mark, which put the Soaring Eagles on top, 8-2.
 
Cortland answered shortly after with a 12-2 run to take a 14-10 lead with 14:17 to play in the opening half. The Red Dragon lead hovered around four points for the majority of the half, peaking as high as 11 points on two occasions. Cortland eventually carried its 42-33 lead into the halftime break.
 
The opening minutes of the second half saw Elmira go on a mini 6-0 run, cutting Cortland's lead to three. Four of Elmira's six points during its run were scored by Porrett.
 
Cortland controlled the next eight minutes thanks to a 19-6 run, as the Red Dragons pushed their lead to 16 points, 61-45. Cortland maintained its double-digit lead and eventually held a 67-55 edge with 6:10 to play.
 
Despite facing another double-digit deficit late in a second half, the Soaring Eagles continued to fight and claw their way back into tonight's game. Starting with a layup by rookie guard Anthony Abate '19 at the 4:48 mark, EC went on to score six unanswered, to trim the Red Dragon lead to six, 67-61.
 
Unfortunately, Cortland closed out the final three minutes by outscoring Elmira 13-to-5, as the Red Dragons marched away with an 80-66 victory.
 
Turning Point
Although Elmira produced its second-best field goal percentage of the year, the Soaring Eagles did not find the same success from the charity stripe or the three-point line. Elmira was just 3-for-8 from the free throw line (37.5%), the team's second-lowest percentage of the year. EC also went 7-for-24 (29.2%) from beyond the arc, which is Elmira's least successful shooting performance from three-point land in 2015.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Elmira and Cortland shot the ball well tonight, as both teams were 28-of-56 (50.0%) from the floor.
• EC made just 7-of-24 three-point attempts and 3-of-8 free throws.
• Elmira saw a great deal of success down low, scoring 38 points in the paint.
• Cortland owned the advantage on the boards, outrebounding Elmira 34-25.
• Harkins led all of EC's scorers with 17 points, 15 coming from distance.
• Leonardi and Porrett added 14 and 12 points, respectively.
• Leonardi also produced five assists.
• Justin Henderson '16 led Elmira with seven rebounds.

 
News and Notes

• Elmira led by as many as six points in tonight's contest, a lead it held in the first 2:07 of the first half.
• Henderson's seven rebounds are a season-high and the second-highest total of his EC career.
• Porrett's 12 points marks the fifth time this season he has produced double-digits in his rookie campaign.
• Leonardi's five assists are a season high.
• Harkins' 17 points is his second-highest point total of the season.

 
Up Next
Elmira will enjoy a 20-day layoff before its next game, a December 29th matchup with Wesleyan University in the opening game of the Salem State Holiday Classic. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. in Salem, MA.