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ITHACA, N.Y. -- Without a number of key players, the last three weekends of the Cornell men's basketball season has been a battle, and the Big Red fought right to the bitter end. With Harvard needing a home win in its home finale to clinch at least a share of an Ivy League title, it had a battle on its hands all night.

In the end, the Crimson celebrated an outright title on the Lavietes Pavilion floor, but it looked like a prizefighter that had gone 12 rounds with a hard-punching heavyweight. Cornell, missing its two leading scorers and four players who had started significant games this season, fell just one punch short of the knockout and Harvard closed out a 65-56 victory.

Seniors Miles Asafo-Adjei, Eitan Chemerinski and Errick Peck made huge contributions in a game where Cornell uncharacteristically tried to slow down the pace, combining for 37 points. Asafo-Adjei netted a career-high 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting and added four assists and just one turnover in a career-best 36 minutes. Peck scored 14 points, grabbed eight boards and assisted on three more baskets in his final game in a Cornell uniform. Chemerinski, who fouled out in the final moments, chipped in eight points and three boards and graduated as the school's career leader in field goal percentage. The contest also marked the final collegiate appearances for Josh Figini and Pete McMillan, who made short appearances in the game, as well as three-year letter winner Johnathan Gray.

The torch was passed in the final weekends to freshman Nolan Cressler, who scored 12 points and grabbed a career-best nine rebounds in 36 minutes of action. Deion Giddens chipped in three rebounds and two blocks in five minutes of court time and Dominick Scelfo and Dwight Tarwater combined for seven.

Harvard walked into the game looking for a share of the Ivy title, but before they left the arena, knew they would clinch the Ivy League's NCAA tournament bid. Within 30 minutes of the conclusion of the game, with Harvard's players and coaches watching the final moments of Princeton's 80-67 loss at Brown at courtside, they had their second straight outright Ivy title and third straight championship overall.

Laurent Rivard led the Crimson with 17 points, while Siyani Chambers notched 16 points with five assists. Wesley Saunders scored 14 points, grabbed four rebounds, dished three assists and had two steals for Harvard, who played on seven players, with one earning just one minute of time.

Without a number of key cogs in the Big Red's pressure defense and transition offense, Cornell tried to slow down the Crimson, taking the air out of the ball on most possessions. While angering the sold-out Lavietes Pavilion crowd, the tactic worked for much of the first 20 minutes before a late Crimson run sent the home team into a 32-24 edge at the break.

The game was tied 23-23 with under five minutes to play in the half before the Crimson ended the half on a 9-1 run, including a 3-pointer by Rivard and a coast-to-coast layup by Chambers as the first half buzzer sounded.

The Crimson increased their lead to 16 midway through the second half, but much like the game in Ithaca a month ago, the Big Red made a final run. Asafo-Adjei, in his final game in a Big Red uniform, led the charge, A defensive-minded guard, he turned offensive in a hurry, beating the Crimson off the dribble time and time again. A layup and two drawn fouls led to three free throw makes. A Cressler steal on one end led to a layup by the senior on the other end, making it 57-50 with 4:28 remaining.

A steal and dunk by Peck, followed by two more free throws by the senior after he defended a Saunders miss and was fouled on the rebound, got Cornell within five (59-54). Saunders then missed a pair of free throws, but Asafo-Adjei rimmed out a driving layup, Harvard rebounded and started a parade to the free throw line. The home team nailed 6-of-8 shots from the line in the final 58 seconds to seal the win.

Cornell will return two starters, including All-Ivy candidate Shonn Miller, when the 2012-13 season commences in November.