Box Score Box Score

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Cornell men's basketball team got back on its feet and used a strong defensive effort in the first half to cruise to an 88-73 victory over Penn on Saturday evening at the Palestra. The Big Red improved to 15-7 overall (5-1 Ivy), while the Quakers fell to 5-13 (1-3 Ivy).

Junior Louis Dale had 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists and Ryan Wittman snapped out of a mini-slump with a game-high 21 points to lead four double figure scorers. Jeff Foote added 16 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots and Geoff Reeves posted 11. Both Brian Kreefer, Adam Wire and Chris Wroblewski added a dpark off the bench as Cornell won its third straight over Penn. Kreefer hit all four field goals for eight points and three rebounds in 11 minutes, Adam Wire had three points and eight rebounds in 15 minutes and Wroblewski notched nine points, three rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes.

The Big Red shot 48 percent from the floor overall and held a 44-35 edge on the glass in the victory. THe Quakers were limited to 40 percent shooting and 19 percent from 3-point range (4-of-21).

Penn was led by Harrison Gaines with 20 points, while Cameron Lewis and Tyler Bernardini had 11 points apiece. The Quaker bench outscored Cornell's 39-22, but that was due in large part to several usual Penn starters coming off the bench in the early minutes.

Penn got off to an 11-5 lead by the first media timeout, as four new Quaker starters provided an early spark. Belcore scored five early points to lead the charge, but the Big Red weathered the storm and unlike Friday night's loss to Princeton, persevered. Cornell caught the home team and took the lead on a Wittman shot-clock beating 3-pointer to make it 23-21 with 7:28 remaining. 

Cornell's defense took over as the Big Red gradually and methodically built its lead into double figures by the end of the half. Despite a first half that saw 25 combined fouls, including two on both Dale and Wittman before the eight-minute media timeout, Foote took over offensively, scoring eight points and dishing off an assist in the final 8:37.

Wittman, who had been held to single digits in consecutive games for the first time in his career, led the charge in the first 20 minutes with 11 points, while Reeves and Foote had nine apiece. Reeves' turnaround jumper fromt he foul line as time expired sent the visitors into the locker room leading 44-29. Adam Wire also played a key role with five rebounds and the team's only steal in 10 minutes of action.

The Big Red defense limited the Quakers to 32 percent from the field in the first half, including a miserable 1-of-10 from beyond the arc. Lewis led the Quakers with nine points and three rebounds, while Rob Belcore had five, all coming in the first two minutes. Penn held a narrow 22-21 rebounding edge in the first half.

While the Penn offense came alive early in the second half, including 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions, the defense couldn't do much to stop the Big Red on the other end. The Big Red pushed the lead to 18 (63-45) by outscoring the Quakers 19-16 over the first eight minutes of the half. 

Despite the large lead, the Big Red continued to win the hustle plays. Dale saved an offensive rebound off a Penn defender's leg to go into the under-eight media timeout. The Quakers went on a run to cut the 20-point deficit down to 12 (74-62) with under four minutes to play, but couldn't get into single figures as the visitors made enough free throws late to seal the win. 

Cornell returns to action at home next weekend, playing host to Harvard on Friday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. and Dartmouth on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m., with both games being played at Newman Arena.