Box Score Box Score
PRINCETON, N.J. -- Senior Ryan Wittman hit two big shots in the final two and a half minutes and Cornell hit four free throws in the final 22 seconds to lift Cornell past Princeton 48-45 on Saturday evening at Jadwin Gymnasium. Cornell improved to 21-4 (7-1 Ivy) while regaining sole possession of first place in the Ivy League from the Tigers, who dropped to 14-6 (5-1 Ivy).
Wittman scored 13 points, including seven in the final 2:14, and added five rebounds, while Jeff Foote added 11 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots. The Cornell defense limited Princeton to .364 shooting from the floor and held a 30-24 rebounding edge. Chris Wroblewski added nine points and Alex Tyler scored six points, grabbed four rebounds and blocked two shots in his first start since returning from injury,
Princeton's Douglas Davis had a game-high 20 points, including 18 in the final 20 minutes. He was the team's only double figure scorer. Dan Mavraides scored eight points, all in the first half, while Patrick Saunders scored seven to go along with five rebounds. The Tigers turned the ball over just nine times.
Wittman took over the final three minutes, but only after Foote had given Cornell the lead with a conventional three-point play with 5:25 to break a 34-34 tie. The 7-0 senior then hit a turnaround jumper with just under four minutes to play to psh the edge to five. Davis hit a long 3-pointer at the end of the shot clock to cut it back to 39-37 with 3:20 remaining.
After a Big Red miss, Foote was called for a foul, and Tyler and Marcus Schroeder of Princeton were called for double technicals after getting into it after the play. The ball went to the home team, but Davis turned it over with 2:30 left. Wittman took advantage, hitting a pull-up jumper from 15 feet to push it back to four. After a Davis fre ethrow got it back to three, Wittman came off a screen and his quick release from 22 feet over Kareem Maddox made it 44-38 with 1:38 left.
The Tigers wouldn't go away, however, as Davis continued his hot shooting. The sophomore drained a trey with a minute to play to make it 44-41, and after a Cornell missed free throw, hit another jumper to make it a 44-43 game with 24 ticks on the clock.
After being fouled, Dale hit both of his free throws with 22 seconds left, but Davis took it right at the defense. He got into the lane, but missed a layup, but the springy guard got his own rebound and was fouled. He hit both shots to again get within one at 46-45. This time, Cornell found Wittman with eight seconds left, and the senior nailed both shots, the first hitting every inch of the rim before falling. Needing a 3-pointer, Davis was able to juke free for a tough look with a second on the clock, but the Tiger missed the mark and Cornell earned the victory.
The Big Red jumped out to an 8-0 lead with four straight baskets, including three in a row by Foote. The senior got two quick fouls and sat the final 10 minutes of the half, but Cornell never fell behind the Tigers in going into the break with a 24-21 edge. Wittman and Foote each had six points at the break as Cornell shot 50 percent from the floor. Cornell didn't make a 3-pointer in the first 20 minutes, attempting just four, but its 16-9 edge ont he backboards helped it control the contest. Princeton got eight points from Dan Mavraides and five from Patrick Saunders, but the Cornell defense aloowed just 38 percent shooting and blocked three shots.
Cornell returns to action when it visits Harvard on Friday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m. at Lavietes Pavilion in Cambridge, Mass.
