A big second half for the Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team blew open a tight game and gave the Panthers a 72-54 win over SUNY Broome Saturday. The win improves Tompkins Cortland to 3-7 overall and 1-2 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference. Broome drops to 2-13 overall and 0-2 in the MSAC.

The teams traded the lead six times in the first half, with Tompkins Cortland holding a 31-28 advantage heading into the locker room. The second half saw the home team slowly pull away, stretching the lead to 21 late in the half before settling in on the 18-point final margin.

Double-doubles from Ja Don Crooms (Brooklyn/Boys and Girls H.S.) and Omari Lane (Newburgh/Newburgh Free Academy) paced the Panthers. Crooms led all players in both points and rebounds with 19 and 13. Lane had 15 points and 11 rebounds, adding 5 steals and 4 assists to his final line. Jaiden Allen (Marlboro/Marlboro H.S.) also had 15 points and Shareef Ali (Queens/Martin Van Buren H.S.) just missed a double-double with 11 points and 9 boards.

The Panthers look to build on the win when they host Corning Community College Tuesday at 5 p.m.