The SUNY Cortland Men’s Basketball teams season sadly came to an end this weekend with a crushing loss to Brockport in the semi-final of the SUNYAC Championship. Despite this defeat the Red Dragons had a very successful year.
Posting a 19-7 overall record through regular season action placing them 3rd overall. Throughout the season they achieved many accomplishments and competed hard in every matchup.
Since the season just wrapped up it’s always interesting to look back on the season and the impressive games the team has competed in.
New Paltz 71 VS Cortland 74 – February 4th, 2023
It is only fitting that Senior night was Cortland’s best game of the season. This game was Cortland’s 22nd game of the season and their last home game of the regular season. They entered the game on a 3 game win streak and needed a victory in order to help secure their seeding in the playoffs.
The previous matchup between these two teams took place in New Paltz where they were handed a loss by a score of 95-81. With all of these storylines coming into the game it was bound to be a hard fought battle between two strong SUNYAC teams.
The Cortland Red Dragons celebrated the careers of the seven seniors on the team this night so it was only right that the veterans on the team lead them to victory. As two of their seniors Austin Grunder and Cam Williams led the way with 20 point games each. The first half was a close game where it was knotted at 40 apiece. Entering the second half Aaron Coston hit a layup to put the Red Dragons up and they held that lead until the end of the game. Although the Hawks kept it close they could only manufacture a last second desperation heave as time expired and sent them home with a loss.
Potsdam 81 VS Cortland 93 – January 27th, 2023
On the heels of a four game losing streak the Red Dragons traveled back home for a game against the Potsdam Bears. Finding themselves falling in the SUNYAC standings the Dragons needed this win in order for them to find their stride and make a final push for the playoffs.
This game was important for the team but the real storyline coming in was about Austin Grunder and his outstanding play over the past 4 years. Austin entered this game 19 points away from the SUNY Cortland Men’s Basketball team all-time scoring record. Set at 1,525 by Jesse Winter almost a decade ago Grunder only needed 20 points to break the record. With just about 12 minutes to go in the second half, Grunder had a putback layup to secure the record.
Recalling this game Fran Elia the Sports Information Director here at SUNY Cortland said “Austin will go down as one of the top players in school history”. Reiterating this statement deeming Grunder as “one of the two or three best players I’ve seen here in my 32 years”
This feat seemed to have given the Red Dragons a very much needed boost. As they took care of the Bears beating them by 12 despite a strong 52 point second half from the visitors. The Red Dragons took this momentum and carried it through the next three games achieving a 4 game win streak and thrusting them towards the SUNYAC playoffs.
The significance of this game lies in the record books with Austin Grunder etching his name into Cortland history. What will get overlooked is the effect this game had on the team and the boost in morale coming off of a losing streak that led them to a winning streak in the last few weeks of the season.
Geneseo 55 VS Cortland 93 – February 15th, 2023
The first round of the SUNYAC playoffs pitted the Geneseo Knights against the Cortland Red Dragons.
Elia who attends all of the basketball games said “we had our best crowd of the season, and the energy in the gym was great.”
The energy was permitted as the Red Dragons were hoping to secure a spot in the SUNYAC semi-finals for the first time since 2016. In a rematch of the final game of the season. These two teams matched up twice in the regular season which resulted in two wins for the Red Dragons.
The Red Dragons secured the three game sweep thanks to the team’s lights out shooting. To start the second half Cortland made 12 of their first 13 shots from the field and over the first 16 minutes of the second half they shot a blistering 21 of 24. This offensive onslaught allowed the team to put up the second most points (93) they have scored in a single game this season.
Elia was in disbelief following this game saying “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a team shoot as well for an extended period.”
Everything about this game was great, from the crowd to the circumstances to the teams performance it was truly what encapsulates Cortland sports.
Although the team lost in the semi-final round to a strong Brockport squad this season should be remembered as a success. Every player on this roster gave it all to the team and were a part of why they accomplished as much as they did.
The SUNY Cortland Men’s Basketball teams season sadly came to an end this weekend with a crushing loss to Brockport in the semi-final of the SUNYAC Championship. Despite this defeat the Red Dragons had a very successful year.
Posting a 19-7 overall record through regular season action placing them 3rd overall. Throughout the season they achieved many accomplishments and competed hard in every matchup.
Since the season just wrapped up it’s always interesting to look back on the season and the impressive games the team has competed in.