POTSDAM, N.Y.—SUNY Cortland (7-6, 3-3 SUNYAC) pulled away from the SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (4-6, 2-3) late for an 81-72 victory on Friday afternoon. Sophomore guard Colton Huestis (Ticonderoga, N.Y./Ticonderoga) led the Bears with 20 points and junior forward Brandon Segar Jr. (Jamaica, N.Y./Richmond Hill) picked up a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Junior center Tyrese Baptiste (Brooklyn, N.Y./Eagle Academy II) also recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 boards.
 
Potsdam opened the game with a 7-2 run capped by a three from Huestis at 16:59. Two 3-pointers from senior guard AJ Lawton (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) and junior forward Austin Grunder (Trumansburg, N.Y.Charles O. Dickerson) quickly erased the lead. A layup from Baptiste put the Bears back in front and they stayed there for much of the half. A three from freshman guard Jeff Williamson (Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King) gave Potsdam a 37-32  advantage with 4:52 left in the half. Again, Cortland regained the lead with two threes. Junior guards Kareem Lubin (South Blooming Grove, N.Y./Washingtonville) and Humberto Cabrera (Millbrook, N.Y./Millbrook) hit from long range and Cortland led 38-37 at the half.
 
After falling behind by four early in the second half, Potsdam rallied with eight straight points started by a dunk from freshman forward Parker Kelly (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown). Baptiste and Segar followed with layups and Kelly sank two free throws to put the Bears up 45-41 at 16:38. Potsdam held the lead for the next nine minutes, but Grunder scored at 7:01 and Cortland never trailed again. Red Dragons sophomore guard Danny Linehan (Blauvelt, N.Y./Tappan Zee) hit a three and a jumper on consecutive possessions to extend Cortland's lead to 67-61 with 4:46 left. Huestis countered with a three at 4:25 to close within three. A three-point play from freshman guard MeSean Johnson (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg Free Academy) got the Bears within in 73-69 at 1:13. However, the Red Dragons put the game away from the free-throw line, hitting eight of 10 shots.
 
Parker finished with seven points and Johnson had five points and seven assists.
 
Grunder led all scorers with 28 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Linehan added 17 points and five rebounds. Lubin also finished with 17 points along with six boards.
 
Potsdam now heads to Buffalo State Monday for a 7:30 p.m. contest with the Bengals. On Tuesday, the Bears head Fredonia for a 4 p.m. tipoff.