VESTAL, N.Y. – Theresa Grace Mbanefo finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds, powering Cornell (2-2) to a 67-57 win over Binghamton (2-1) in a non-conference women's basketball game on Wednesday night at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. The game marked the Bearcats' third straight home contest to open up the 2021-22 season.

Mbanefo went 13-of-19 from the floor in the highest scoring game by a Binghamton opponent so far this year. She received plenty of back up from Olivia Snyder, who turned in a 14-point, 14-rebound, six-assist performance as well as Ania McNicholas, who added 10 points, five rebounds and a pair of steals.

The Big Red won the game up front. They finished with a 50-18 advantage in points in the paint and held a commanding 49-21 rebounding margin. In addition, Cornell shot 50 percent for the game (29-of-58).

"Cornell is a good team and they played really well tonight," Binghamton head coach Bethann Shapiro Ord said. "We didn't get the rebounds we needed and we gave them a lot of open looks, which you can't do against a team like theirs."

For the Bearcats, junior forward Clare Traeger scored a team-best 14 points and added a team-high six rebounds. Freshman forward Genevieve Coleman, the current America East Rookie of the Week, netted 10 points.

Cornell got the separation it would need in the opening 20 minutes of the game. It took a 32-22 lead thanks to hitting 14 of its first 27 shots (52 percent).

Mbanefo took over the game in the third quarter, scoring 11 of her points during that stretch as the Big Red opened up a 53-38 lead.

The Bearcats finally got to within single digits when Traeger's three-point field goal brought the Bearcats to within 63-54 with 4:18 left in regulation. From there, however, back-to back baskets by Shannon Mulroy and Snyder gave Cornell a 67-54 cushion with 3:18 left to go.

Freshman guard Ella Wanzer and senior guard Hayley Moore each finished with eight points. It represented Wanzer's career high.

Binghamton's homestand continues on Saturday with a 2 p.m. game against St. Bonaventure.