Box Score Box Score
RICHMOND, Va. -- The Cornell men's basketball team dropped yet another nailbiter, dropping a 68-66 decision to New Hampshire on Wednesday afternoon at the Verizon Wireless Center in the first game of the 2010 Richmond Marriott Holidays on the Hardwood Classic. The game was the Big Red's eighth straight loss, with six coming by five points or less and dropped the team's record to 2-9. New Hampshire will play in the championship game against either Wofford or the host Rams tomorrow.
Sophomore Errick Peck scored 19 points in just 19 minutes to lead four double figure scorers for the Big Red, but a last-minute shot sank the Big Red for the sixth time in 2010. Chris Wroblewski notched 14 points and had six assists, while Aaron Osgood posted 12 points and Drew Ferry notched 11. Cornell shot 40 percent, but were able to hit on just 6-of-23 shots from beyond the arc.
UNH shot 52 percent from the floor for the game, getting 15 points from Tyron Conley and 14, including the game-winning three-point play, from Ferg Myrick. Myrick was also credited with five assists and four rebounds off the bench. Both Chandler Rhoads and Brian Benson scored 10 points, with Rhoads added five assists and a game-high eight boards.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 12-2 lead by hitting five of its first six shots before Ferry came around a double screen and hit a 22-foot 3-pointer to snap a six-minute scoring drought. The UNH lead grew to as many as 12 before a 14-1 Big Red run got Cornell the lead at 27-26. Wroblewski hit a 12-foot fallaway jumper to give Cornell its first lead of the game with 2:27 left in the half. The Wildcats scored the final seven points of the half, including a 30-foot trey by Jordon Bronner as time expired to take a 33-27 lead into the break.
Ferry, who got hot and scored six straight during the run, ended the half with 11 points and grabbed three boards. Wroblewski scored six points and dished off three assists despite shooting 1-of-6 from the floor and missing all three of his 3-point attempts. The Big Red shot just 35 percent from the floor, but rebounded from a huge early rebounding hole (8-1) to get within 16-13 on the backboards. Dane DiLiegro scored nine points,while Tyrone Conley chipped in eight. Ferg Myrick scored five points, ha dfour assists and grabbed three rebounds in 14 minutes off the bench. The visitors on the scoreboard shot 52percent from the floor, but ended the first 20 minutes by missing eight of its last 11 shots after hitting 8-of-10 to open the game.
The second half lead for UNH ballooned up to seven against at 42-35 before Osgood scored four straight to get back within three, followed by a jumper by Wroblewski with his foot on the line to get back to 42-41. Cornell finally equalized at 50-50 when Peck hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 8:27 left. Peck's driving basket a minute later put the Big Red up, but only for a few seconds as Myrick raced down the court for a layup. The game would feature seven ties over the the seven minutes, the last coming at 63-63 when Peck hit a short jumper with 1:16 left. The decisive possession came on the ensuing Wildcats' possession. It ended with a scoop layup by Myrick and Osgood's fifth foul on the play to put UNH up 66-63. Three consecutive good looks from 4-point range riummed out and New Hampshire got a run-out basket to put them up five with six seconds left. Wroblewski drained a long 3-pointer with 2.7 seconds left and fouled immediately, sending Conley to the line for three free-throws leading 68-66. Both shots rimmed out, with Mark Coury gathering the last shot and firing ahead to Max Groebe. The senior caught the ball and flung it toward the hoop, but it landed well short as time expired to send the Big Red to the consolation game.
The Big Red will face either tournament host VCU or Wofford tomorrow in the Verizon Wireless Center. The gametime will be determined by the result of the second game. Regardless of a win or loss, VCU will play in the 7:30 p.m. slot on Thursday. Check back later tonight for final game information.
