VESTAL, N.Y. -- Senior Matt Morgan had career highs of 38 points and 13 rebounds and Cornell won its 2018-19 season opener with an 86-75 win at Binghamton on Tuesday evening at the Events Center. In the process, Morgan became the school's second all-time leading scorer as the Big Red won the first game of the Central New York Hoops Classic.

Morgan's 38 points tied for the fourth-highest single-game total in school history and added four steals and three assists while shooting 10-of-15 from the floor, 5-of-8 from beyond the arc and 13-of-14 from the free-throw line. He moved past John Bajusz '87 (1,663 points) to climb into second on Cornell's career scoring list. He ended the night with 1,684 points.

Morgan wasn't alone in having a career day for the Big Red - sophomore Jimmy Boeheim had 20 points and seven rebounds as the visitors controlled the backboards (42-32) and outscored the Bearcats 20-6 down the stretch to pull away for the win. 

Terrance McBride and Troy Whiteside scored seven points apiece, while Steven Julian had six points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in the win. Jake Kuhn also chipped in six points and four rebounds. The Big Red shot 47 percent from the floor overall.

Sam Sessoms had 27 points, five rebounds and four assists, but was also hounded into six turnovers. Richard Caldwell, Jr. notched 12 points and J.C. Show scored 11 with four rebounds, three steals and two assists.

The Big Red struggled offensively for much of the first half, trailing by as many as eight points late in the first half. Boeheim's 10 points and five rebounds off the bench and Morgan's 12 points, nine boards, two assists and three steals highlighted the effort, but it was a late clamp-down on defense that made the difference. Cornell limited the Bearcats to 1-of-5 shooting to end the half, closing on a 7-1 run over the final 2:19. The defense led to offense, with Cornell making eight of its final nine shots to close out the half. The last of those, a driving layup by Morgan that turned into a three-point play with three seconds remaining, sent the visitors into halftime with a 37-36 edge.

The Bearcats came out firing on all cylinders after the break, hitting six of their first seven shots to regain the lead at 51-49 with 16 minutes left. The lead traded back and forth, eventually switching 12 times before Cornell finally took control. Trailing 69-66 with 7:44 remaining, Morgan scored 11 of the team's next 13 points to turn a three-point deficit into an eight-point lead. The Big Red eventually would go up by as many as 12 before time ran out on the Bearcats.

NOTES TO KNOW
• Morgan scored the first basket of the season for the Big Red and had the team's first five points.
• His 38 points are tied for the fourth-most in a single game at Cornell with Alex Compton in 1996 vs. Yale.
• Morgan connected on 13-of-14 free throws, good for No. 18 all-time in a single game for the Big Red.
• Cornell now leads the all-time series against Binghamton 10-4.
• The Big Red improved to 76-44 in season openers and was the first in a lid-lifter since 2014 (won at George Mason, 68-60).

NEXT UP
• The Big Red opens its home season with the first of three consecutive contests at Newman Arena when Division III opponent SUNY Canton visits on Thursday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.
• The game will be the second of four contests at part of the first-ever Central New York Classic.
• It will be the first-ever meeting between the Big Red and the Kangaroos.