Box Score Box score

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Four players hit for double figures and Cornell shot 65 percent as part of a 52-point second half explosion in a 75-64 win over Bucknell on Tuesday evening at Newman Arena. The Big Red won its fourth straight in improving to 9-6, while Bucknell fell to 3-11 with the loss.

Louis Dale posted 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists to pace the Big Red offense, while Ryan Wittman added 17 and freshman Chris Wroblewski had a career-high 13. Jeff Foote rounded out the double figure scorers with 12 points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots. After shooting just 28 percent from the floor in the first half, the Big Red connected on 15-of-23 shots after halftime to end the game at 46 percent. Cornell limited Bucknell to 38 percent shooting for the game and outrebounded the Bison 40-31.

Wroblewski hit all four of his field goal attempts, including a pair of 3-pointers, and turned the ball over just once in 30 minutes off the bench, providing a steadying influence in a game that Cornell committed 18 turnovers. Starters Geoff Reeves and Alex Tyler provided key plays that didn't necessarily show up in the box score, though Reeves notched eight points and made both of his 3-point attempts, while Tyler had four rebounds, two assists and a block without committing a turnover.

Freshmen Bryan Cohen had 20 points and G.W. Boon had 15 points to lead Bucknell, who lost to Cornell for the first time in six meetings. After being competitive throughout the first half, the Big Red extended the lead to as much as 22 with under seven minutes to play. Bucknell got the lead down to six with the help of some last-minute pressure, but the home team made 10-of-12 free throws in the final minute to hold on.

It was a slow and sloppy first half that featured 17 turnovers and a combined 15-of-55 shooting from the floor (27 percent), but despite the slog, Cornell led 23-20 at the break. Wroblewski provided the early spark with seven points in the half to lead both teams, all coming in the final five minutes when the pace picked up. His driving layup on a pinpoint fullcourt pass from Dale was followed by a pair of free throws two possessions later to give Cornell an 18-15 lead with 3:32 left in the half. After Wittman hit a short jumper to extend it to five, Dale found Wroblewski beyond the arc and the freshman canned a trey to extend the lead to eight. Only a late 5-0 run by the Bison's Cohen brought the visitors within three at the break (23-20). 

At the 10-minute mark of the first half, Cornell already had been assessed with eight turnovers, nearly matching its season game average of 12, with many of the calls on both teams coming on travelling whistles. Jeff Foote excited the crowd with three blocked shots at the rim in the first 10 minutes, allowing Cornell to stay in a game where it both struggled from the floor and with turnovers.

The second half was a totally different game, with the Big Red outscoring the Bison 52-44. For the second straight game, Cornell went for more than 50 points in the ahlf, this time doing it in a variety of ways. The home team drained 5-of-6 3-pointers in the half, made 15-of-23 shots total from the field (65 percent) and hit on 17 of the 22 shots it attempted from the charity stripe. 

The Bison got within one point on two occasions, the last on a jumper by Patrick Behan with 17:04 left, but the next 11 minutes sealed the deal for Cornell and provided Coach Steve Donahue's club with its 14th straight home victory. The run started out innocently enough, as Foote got off the blocks for a short jumper, followed by Dale finding a trailing Wittman in transition for a dead-on 3-pointer from the left wing. Just two minutes later, a three-point play on an excellent passing display from Foote to Alex Tyler to Adam Wire ignited an 18-3 run that turned a modest seven-point edge into an insurmountable 22-point edge when Wittman found Foote underneath for a dunk with 6:47 to play.

Bucknell wouldn't go away, and made it scary for the 1,143 fans in attendance late. The Bison methodically cut the lead to single figures with a 12-0 run that finally ended when Wittman hit a dagger with 1:35 to play, pushing the lead back to 63-53. But again, Bucknell charged. G.W. Boon put in a three-point play, then nailed consecutive 3-pointers sandwiched around a pair of Wittman free-throw makes. The second trey, with 41 seconds left, cut what was a 22-point edge to six (68-62). The Bison wouldn't get any closer, as Cornell hit 7-of-8 free throws in the final 40 seconds to hold on and capture the win.

The Big Red will close out non-conference season when it faces Division I newcomer Bryant University on Monday, Jan. 12, at 7 p.m. at Chace Athletic Center in Smithfield, R.I.