Box Score Box Score
Coach Smith Postgame Interview

ITHACA, N.Y.  – The Cornell women's basketball team returned from its 18-day study break in fine fashion, leading wire-to-wire as it defeated Bucknell, 65-45, this afternoon at Newman Arena. With the win, Cornell improves to 3-5 overall and is now 7-3 under head coach Dayna Smith in the first game back from the study break.

Clare Fitzpatrick registered the Big Red's first double-double of the season, posting 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead Cornell. Freshman Marissa Rakestraw saw her most productive minutes of the season, coming on late when Maka Anyanwu got into foul trouble, and finished with a career-high 12 points. Shelby Lyman started the game hot, registering all nine of her points in the first half, and Allyson DiMagno was extremely productive with seven rebounds, six points and five assists. Anyanwu also posted seven points and three rebounds in limited minutes.

Bucknell (2-9) was led by Rachel Voss' 13 points and five rebounds, while Shelby Romine finished with nine points and six boards.

Despite the fact that both teams had been dormant for two weeks, the game was played at a high level in the first half, with few turnovers and sharp shooting by both squads. The Big Red shot a blistering 56 percent from the floor in the first half (15-of-27) and outrebounded the Bison, 22-12, including an 8-3 advantage on the offensive boards, to build a 38-27 lead at the intermission.

The second half was another story, with both teams struggling early on. Cornell finished the game shooting 46 percent overall, 42 percent from 3-point range and held the 43-33 advantage on the boards. Bucknell cooled off considerably and finished the contest shooting 33 percent overall and just 38 percent from beyond the arc. The Bison also had one more turnover than Cornell (15-14). 

Cornell jumped out to an early 6-0 lead, thanks to back-to-back baseline jumpers from Anyanwu and a hard-fought layup from Fitzpatrick. A deep jumper from Voss ended the Bucknell drought at the 16:29 mark, but the Big Red extended its lead 12-4 when Lyman sandwiched a pair of treys around a jumper from Romine.

Voss connected again for the Bison to make it a 12-6 game and the teams traded baskets on the next several trips down the floor before some great hustle plays put the home team up, 26-12, with 8:40 to play in the opening half. During the run, Cornell got five consecutive points from Fitzpatrick, which included a traditional three-point play.

A 3-pointer from Romine ended Cornell's 9-0 run and a layup from Lindsay Horbatuck, Bucknell's first scorer other than Romine and Voss, made it a 26-17 game at the 7:34 mark.

The teams traded baskets the rest of the way and the Big Red went into the break with a 38-27 lead.

Both teams struggled early on in the second half and a rash of foul calls hurt the flow of the game as the teams combined for just eight points (42-31) through the first seven minutes of action before a jumper from the elbow by Rakestraw, followed by a 3-pointer from Taylor Flynn pushed Cornell's lead to 47-31 with 11:21 to play in the game.

The Bison turned up the defensive pressure and used seven unanswered pointw to pull within single digits (47-38) for the first time since the 1:27 mark of the first half but a time out by Coach Smith and a return to the starting lineup restored the double-digit lead to the home team as Cornell went on a 7-0 run to go up 54-38 with 6:39 to play.

From there, the Big Red rolled to the 65-45 victory.

Cornell is back in action on Tuesday, Dec. 20, as it travels to Riverdale, N.Y., to take on Manhattan at 7 p.m.