MIAMI, FLA. – Clayton Murtha and Nicholas George scored 24 and 21 points, respectively, as Washington and Lee University defeated Cortland, 93-72, in men's basketball action at the HoopMIA D3 Holiday Shootout at Barry University.
Cortland had its seven-game win streak snapped with the loss and is now 9-2 on the year. The Generals improved to 6-2 with the victory. The teams were meeting for the first time since the 1986-87 season.
Ryan Schmadel (Oriskany), Nicky Bonura (Mount Kisco) and James Morales (Mount Kisco/Fox Lane) led Cortland with 15 points apiece. Schmadel's 15 points were a career high, as were his five made 3-pointers (in eight attempts). Bonura led the Red Dragons with four assists, followed by Morales with three. Justin Cooper (Pine Plains/Stissing Mountain) added 10 points and 10 rebounds and Zach Lydon (Elizaville/Stissing Mountain) grabbed eight rebounds.
Murtha hit 10-of-15 field goal attempts, dished out four assists and pulled down six rebounds for the Generals. George was 8-of-11 from the floor, including 5-of-7 from the 3-point arc, and added a team-high four steals. Devin Kearns finished with 18 points, nine rebounds and four assists, and Roy McMillan registered a double-double with 13 points and 10 caroms.
W&L shot 52 percent from the field overall and 48 percent (11-of-23) from 3-point range. Cortland was held to 35 percent shooting from the floor and 34 percent (14-of-41) from the arc. Both teams finished 10-of-13 from the foul line.
W&L took a 13-0 lead less than six minutes into the game, but Cortland fought back and eventually tied the score at 29-29 on a Schmadel 3-pointer with about six minutes remaining in the half. The Generals, however, mounted a 10-0 run over the next three minutes, and eventually led by nine, 46-37, at the half.
The Generals put the game away with a 25-6 run over the first six and a minutes of the second half to take a 71-43 lead. Cortland was unable to get any closer than 19 points the remainder of the contest.
Cortland will be idle until Friday, Jan. 5 when it resumes SUNYAC play with a 7:30 p.m. game at Oneonta.
