Box Score Box Score
ITHACA, N.Y. – Cornell senior Jeff Foote posted a double-double as the Big Red men's basketball team led from wire-to-wire to defeat Columbia, 74-53, in the Ivy League opener for both squads. With the win, the Big Red improves to 15-3 overall, while the Lions fall to 6-9 on the season.
The Big Red led by as many as 32 points midway through the second half before both teams emptied their benches. Cornell's defense ruled the day, limiting the Lions to 30 percent shooting in the first half and 37 percent for the game while blocking four shots and matching a season-high with 13 steals. Foote had 12 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots for the Big Red, while Ryan Wittman and Chris Wroblewski each scored 13 points. The reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year also added four assists, three steals and two rebounds. Senior Louis Dale dominated in his 21 minutes, collecting seven points, four assists, four steals and three rebounds with just one turnover, and Adam Wire chipped in with four rebounds and three steals.
Cornell shot 46 percent from the floor and hit 11-of-26 from beyond the arc as 11 different players hit the scoring column. Geoff Reeves had an efficient eight points on 3-of-4 shooting and both Errick Peck and Max Groebe notched six points apiece. Peck added three rebounds and a blocked shot in 16 minutes as the home team held a 38-36 edge on the backboards.
No Lions' player hit double figures, with Kevin Bulger leading the way with nine points. Leading scorer Noruwa Agho had seven points and three rebounds, but was held to 3-of-11 shooting with three turnovers. Asenso Ampim had a team-best eight rebounds, while Brian Grimes had six points and six rebounds. The nation's leader in 3-point field goal percentage entering the game was just 2-of-10 from beyond the arc and turned the ball over 16 times while assisting on just five baskets in the loss.
The Big Red jumped out to a 10-2 advantage just 2:27 in thanks to eight quick points by Wroblewski, including consecutive 3-pointers from the same right corner to open the game. When Peck hit a quick-hitting layup on an inbounds pass off a feed Wroblewski at the 13-minute mark, Cornell's lead was extended to 16-5. It never would get back below eight points the rest of the way.
Cornell wasn't able to put away the visitors, who were missing All-Ivy guard Patrick Foley, until an 8-0 run over the final 1:34 extended a 10-point game into a 39-21 halftime lead for Cornell. A 3-pointer by Wittman and a three-point play by Reeves sent the home team into the break with the big advantage. Both Wittman (10 points) and Wroblewski (10 points) hit double figures in the first half, while Foote had five points and six rebounds. THe Lions had just one assists on eight baskets and nine total turnovers in the first 20 minutes.
The second half quickly turned ugly, as Wittman opened the half with a 3-pointer, followed by a three-point play by Foote to make it 45-21 with 17:35 left in regulation. A jumper by Niko Scott got Columbia back within 20 (49-29) with 13:34 left, but a 3-pointer by Dale on a broken play, a layup by Peck and a trey by Wittman ended any thoughts of a Columbia comeback. Both teams went with reserves early and often over the final seven minutes of the game as Cornell extended its home Ivy League win streak to 16 games.
The two teams will meet again on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. at Columbia's Levien Gymnasium, when the Big Red will attempt to capture its ninth straight victory in the series.
