Box Score PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Cornell men's basketball team improved to 4-1 in Ivy play away from home by completing a weekend sweep with a 69-66 nailbiter over Brown on Saturday evening at the Pizzitola Sports Center. The Big Red moved over .500 for the first time this season at 13-12 (5-3 Ivy), while the Bears slipped to 9-13 (3-5 Ivy).

Senior Johnathan Gray completed an excellent weekend with 18 points and five rebounds, while sophomore Shonn Miller had 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots. Four other players scored between seven and nine points in a balanced attack, with sophomore Galal Cancer posting nine points and four assists without a turnover. Freshman Nolan Cressler chipped in nine points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. The Big Red survived to claim the win despite missing six of its eight free throw attempts in the final 35 seconds. That allowed the Bears to get one good look and a desperation heave in the final five seconds to try and tie the contest.

Brown got 19 points from Sean McGonagill and 13 points, 19 rebounds and four blocks from Cedric Kuakumensah. The Bears held a 41-31 advantage on the glass, but was only able to turn the Big Red over nine times.

The Big Red jumped out to an early lead, staved off a Brown surge and extended the lead back to double figures before going into halftime up 40-29. Gray, as he did so often in Friday night's contest, made a number of big shots to end halftime with 14. Miller also controlled the paint with nine points, four rebounds and three blocks.

Cornell, playing an early 6 p.m. game against a team limited to nine players due to injuries, was able to amp up the pace and jump out to a 19-9 advantage before the Bears chipped away. Brown got within two points, then three. Each time, Gray answered with a 3-pointer. His second started an 11-0 run over just 1:27 that made a 27-24 Big Red advantage a 38-24 edge.

The second half saw the Bears put consistent pressure on Cornell, though it looked as though the Big Red was headed for a solid victory. The visitors held a two possession lead much of the second half before a Matt Sullivan corner 3-pointer made it a one-point game (57-56) with six and a half minutes remaining. A Cornell turnover, one of just nine on the night, turned into a run-out for the Bears, but Miller created a missed layup on one end and then Cancer nailed a 3-pointer on the other to push it back to four. After Brown missed on the other end, Gray extended the lead to seven with four minutes to play.

The Bears were able to claw back within four with 88 seconds to play when Stephen Albrecht hit a trey, and a Cornell turnover and six missed free throws gave the home team a glimmer of hope. But in front of a crowd at the Pizz to honor the 2003 Brown NIT squad, there would be no last-second magic. The Big Red defended Brown's four shooter set on its final possession, trailing 69-66, and forced Albrecht to take a tough challenged shot that fell short. Cornell rebounded with under two seconds to play. Despite missing both free throws, Brown's fullcourt shot fell well short and Cornell walked off the court with the victory.

Cornell returns to action on Friday, Feb. 22 when it returns home to face Penn at 7 p.m. at Newman Arena.