Box Score Box Score
JAMAICA, N.Y. -- Cornell put four players in double figures, led by a career-high 26 from junior Geoff Reeves, and dominated the glass in a 78-53 win over Loyola-Chicago on Monday afternoon at Carnesecca Arena in the consolation round of the NIT Preseason Tip-Off Tournament. The win improves the Big Red to 3-2 on the season, while Loyola-Chicago falls to 2-3.
Reeves was on fire throughout the night, connecting on 10-of-14 shots from the floor and 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. He also added three rebounds and three assists in a team-high 36 minutes. The total surpassed his previous high of 21 set in the season opener against South Dakota.
The Big Red limited the Ramblers to 37 percent shooting from the floor, but it was its domination on the glass that propelled Cornell to the easy win. Led by Jeff Foote's 10-point, 10-rebound double-double, Cornell held an impressive 41-19 edge on the backboards. Part of it came from the fact the Loyola didn't have much to rebound, as the Big Red made 30-of-50 shots from the floor, good for 60 percent. It also made 9-of-1 from beyond the arc, good for 64 percent.
Reeves and Foote were joined in double figures by Ryan Wittman with an efficient 15, while Chris Wroblewski had a career-best 13 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists. Wittman made 6-of-8 shots from the floor and added five rebounds in the win. Senior Brian Kreefer chipped in with six assists and zero turnovers.
The Ramblers got 11 points from Justin Cerasoli as the lone double-figure scorer. Loyola turned the ball over just nine times, but struggled shooting throughout. Team leading scorer J.B. Blount was limited to five points on 2-of-10 shooting after entering the game averaging 19.3 points per game, including a 42-point effort in one game and 25 points in a victory over Georgia last week.
Defense was the name of the game in the first half, as Loyola's physical play slowed the game down early. With the Ramblers up 10-8, Wroblewski got the Big Red going, scoring eight consecutive points, including two 3-pointers. Cornell built the lead to double figures, going up 29-18 on a scoop layup and a foul for Reeves. The home team on the scoreboard held Loyola without a field goal over the final 5:37 of the half, as the Ramblers scored on just one free throw, that coming with one second left on the first half clock. Loyola shot just 31 percent from the floor and missed all eight of its 3-point attempts in the first 20 minutes.
Reeves ended the half with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting as the Big Red made 52 percent of its shots. Wittman added seven points and Wroblewski had eight, while Foote posted seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks on the same day he was named Ivy League Player of the Week for the first time in his career.
The Big Red scored the first two baskets of the second half on baskets by Alex Tyler and Reeves to claim the momentum and never let the Ramblers get the lead below nine the rest of the way. A late 19-2 run that featured a personal 8-0 Geoff Reeves run put the game out of reach.
Cornell will play Eastern Michigan in the last of its four preseason NIT games on Tuesday at 5:45 p.m. It will be the fourth meeting between the programs, with EMU leading 2-1.
