Box Score Box Score
HANOVER, N.H. -- Cornell nearly rallied all the way back from a 28-point second half deficit but ran out of time as Dartmouth claimed a 64-57 victory over the Big Red on Friday evening at Leede Arena. The Big Green improved to 5-12 (1-2 Ivy), while the Big Red slipped to 4-13 (0-3 Ivy).
Sophomore Errick Peck had 20 points, six rebounds, four steals and two blocks, and Chris Wroblewski chipped in 16 points and four assists, but Cornell couldn't overcome a sluggish first half. Cornell cut the deficit to six and missed two 3-point attempts in the final 15 seconds that could have gotten the visitors within four. Johnathan Gray had nine points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals off the bench for Cornell, which hit 11 3-pointers on the night but turned the ball over an uncharacteristic 19 times, including 13 times in the first half.
Dartmouth used balanced scoring and an efficient offense to cruise to the big lead before turnovers of their own let Cornell back into the game. R.J. Griffin posted 11 points and David Rufful added 10 to go along with eight rebounds. Dartmouth shot 48 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Big Red 40-32.
The Big Red took an early 10-8 lead after a 3-pointer by Gray five minutes in, but a 12-0 Dartmouth run over 5:52 turned the tables and put Cornell in a 10-point hole at 20-10. The visitors would score just four points over the final 14:25 of the half, and Dartmouth ended the half on a 23-4 run to take a 17-point bulge into the break (31-14). Cornell didn't connect on a two-point field goal in the first half, making 4-of-10 shots from beyond the arc, but missing all six of its shots inside the 3-point line.
The second half didn't start any better, as the Big Green opened on a 9-2 run over the first 3:40 to build the lead to 40-16. That lead would extend to 48-20 with 12 minutes to play when Trotter nailed a 3-pointer.
From there, Cornell chipped away at the lead. It was still a 19-point Dartmouth lead with 4:21 to play, but Cornell went with full-court pressure and made a run. A steal by Peck ended with a pair of free throws, then the sophomore stepped out and hit a trey. A steal and two free throws by Gray made it a 12-point game, and another steal and layup by Peck made it 56-46. Peck hit another free throw, Gray rebounded his miss and put it back, and Wroblewski hit a pair of layups to get within 63-57 with 16 seconds left. Dartmouth hit a free throw after Cornell immediately fouled and made just one, and Cornell got a pair of cracks from beyond the arc. Both rimmed out and Dartmouth held on to its first Ivy win of the season.
Cornell returns to action to face Harvard tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Lavietes Pavilion.
