MIAMI SHORES, FLA. – Austin Grunder (Trumansburg/Charles O. Dickerson) scored 28 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and Eric Edwards (Binghamton) finished with 20 points and seven boards as Cortland defeated Eastern University of Pennsylvania, 71-62, to open the 2019 HoopMIA D3 Holiday Classic at Barry University in Florida.
 
Cortland (3-2) will play again Tuesday at 6 p.m. versus Gwynedd Mercy University in the predetermined schedule. The tournament, which Eastern is hosting, features 10 men's teams and six women's teams each playing two games over a six-day stretch.
 
Grunder finished 10-for-14 from the field, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, as he recorded his fifth double-double in as many games this season. Edwards also was 3-for-5 from the arc and finished 7-of-16 overall from the floor. AJ Lawton (Saratoga Springs) finished with a career-high 11 points with three 3-pointers, two of which came during crucial moments during the last four minutes.
 
Victor Pena scored 11 points and William Blet and Clifton Adams each scored 10 points for Eastern (4-5). Draig Ruff and Gabe Perez added nine points apiece and Michael Bowlers finished with eight points. Blet led the Eagles with seven rebounds.
 
Grunder scored 23 points and Edwards tallied 12 points in the first half to account for all of the Red Dragons' points as Cortland led 35-31 at halftime.
 
Neither team led by more than four points the first 17 minutes of the second half. Eastern was up 60-56 on a Bowlers layup with 4:52 remaining. Ryan Schmadel (Oriskany) hit a 3-pointer 16 seconds later to cut Cortland's deficit to one and Lawton's trey with 3:46 left put the Red Dragons up for good at 62-60.
 
Grunder hit the first of two free throws with 3:01 left, and Schmadel grabbed an offensive rebound after Grunder missed the second attempt. About 15 seconds later Lawton buried a 3-pointer to push Cortland's lead to 66-60.
 
Eastern got back to within four on Blet's layup with 45 seconds left. Grunder hit 3-of-4 free throws and Lawton made both of his charity tosses after that to secure the victory.
 
Both teams enjoyed good shooting nights. Eastern finished at 50 percent overall from the field and was 31 percent (5-of-16) from 3-point range. Cortland ended at 48 percent overall and 40 percent (11-of-25) from long distance.