Cortland, NY – Senior KATIE SIRE scored a game-high 27 points while senior forward TAYLOR HARMON added 13 as No. 23 Montclair State won its second straight with a 68-62 win over Cortland in the Cortica Classic on Friday evening.

Senior guard KATE TOBIE added nine points and six rebounds for the Red Hawks (2-0), who captured the first of their two games in the Upstate New York tournament. Montclair heads to Ithaca College on Saturday, November 18 for a 3:00 pm matchup with the Bombers.

Montclair trailed 8-4 midway through the first quarter before going on an 11-2 run to take a five-point lead after one quarter. Sire hit two free throws and Tobie scored on a layup knotting the game at 8-8 with 5:15 left. After the Red Dragons (0-1) regained the lead, DOMONIQUE WIRSING hit two from the line for a 10-10 tie and added another giving the Red Hawks the lead. Harmon scored from in close with two minutes left and Sire's bucket gave Montclair a 15-10 advantage.

Two free throws by TAYLOR BROWN early in the second boosted MSU's lead to eight points however Cortland tied the contest at 21-21 on a layup by Tanna Mohammed with 5:07 left. The teams traded baskets before junior JANAE MAYFIELD drained a three-pointer for a 28-25 lead. ALEX MCKINNON later hit from behind the arc extending the lead to 33-27 with a minute to play and a Sire bucket with 18 ticks allowed MSU to go into the break in front 35-30.

A Sire basket with 5:20 to go in the third got Montclair's lead to double digits at 45-35. The Red Dragons closed within 49-44 in the final minute however consecutive field goals by Brown and Sire helped Montclair build a 54-45 advantage heading into the final period.

Harmon opened the final quarter with a three-point play and a layup by Tobie gave the Red Hawks their largest lead at 59-45 with 8:47 remaining. Cortland chipped away in the final 1:40, cutting the lead to 65-62 but Sire answered with a layup on the next possession and Harmon forced a turnover before hitting a free throw with 15 seconds for the final margin.

Harmon and Sire each grabbed six rebounds as did Mayfield. Brown added eight points and four rebounds for MSU.