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ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Andrew Nicholson led three St. Bonaventure players in doublefigures with 24 points, including a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line, as the Bonnies (1-0) outlasted a hot, then cold Cornell (0-1) team for a 79-58 win Friday night.

The Big Red made eight of their first 10 shots from behind the arc to stay within two, 40-38, at the half but went 0-for-10 after that as SBU pulled away with a clinching 10-0 run early in the second half.

Sophomore guard Matthew Wright scored 11 of his 13 after the break while grabbing a career-high seven rebounds and passing out five assists to just one turnover. Senior guard Michael Davenport added 11, but left the game early with cramps.

The Bonnies and Big Red exchanged the lead 14 times in a tight first half, with neither team leading by more than three until Da'Quan Cook's decisive steal-turned-bucket with under a minute to play. Cook finished with eight points, seven boards and three steals in an all-around effort, helping Bona to a 40-38 halftime lead.

Leading 42-40 early in the second, SBU held Cornell scoreless for a 5:20 span and got four points from Nicholson, along with 3s from Charlon Kloof and Eric Mosley, to run off 10 unanswered and take control for good.

SBU held Cornell without a field goal over the final 9:01, turning a 12-point lead with just under seven minutes left into a 21-point victory after a 6-0 run and a triple from Wright.

The Bonnies, who play six of their next seven games on the road, travel to Cleveland State on Friday.