Box Score Coach Smith Postgame Interview
Photo Gallery (Tim McKinney)

ITHACA, N.Y. – The Big Red women's basketball team saw four players score in double-figures in a fast-paced 75-55 victory over Daemen College (N.Y.) this afternoon in Newman Arena. Cornell was clicking on all cylinders offensively and defensively, as it assisted on 24-of-30 baskets and forced 26 turnover with 16 steals against at team that averages 74 points per game and features a 6-5 center. With the victory, the Big Red improves to 8-6 on the season, posting a winning non-conference record for the first time since the 2007-08 season.

Allyson DiMagno and Clare Fitzpatrick both went 7-of-9 from the field for 17 and 15 points, respectively. Fitzpatrick also added a game-high seven rebounds to go along with four assists and two steals. Both Stephanie Long and Spencer Lane flirted with triple-doubles, with Long scoring 14 points, grabbing seven rebound and handing out six assists, while Lane had 10 points, seven assists and six steals. Shelby Lyman also filled out the stat sheet with seven points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Deamen (16-6) was led by Monica Kosior's 22 points on 11-of-16 shooting from the field. Ellie Allen chipped in 11 points and Chelsea Andorka finished with 10 points and a game-high eight rebounds.

The Wildcats shot 47 percent from the field and held Cornell to just 41 percent overall, but the Big Red held the 40-32 advantage in rebounds and turned the ball over a season-low 12 times.  

Both teams came out playing at an exceptionally quick pace, using outstanding ball movement to hit open shots. Cornell registered assists on each of its first nine shots of the game before a hard-fought layup by DiMagno at the 8:39 mark ended the streak.

The teams traded baskets for the first 5:32 of the contest, with a trey from Long putting the home team up, 11-10 and opening a 12-2 run by Cornell to go up, 20-12. The Big Red showed tremendous balance during the run with the 12 points coming from five different players.

Cornell eventually pushed its lead to 11 points (35-24) off back-to-back jumpers by Fitzpatrick with 3:11 to play in the first half, but the Wildcats closed the gap in the final minutes and the Big Red took the 37-28 lead into the intermission.

The Big Red assisted on 14-of-15 first half shots and had as many offensive rebounds (13) as Daemen had total for the first 20 minutes of play.

Kosior opened the scoring in the second half with an offensive put-back but Fitzpatrick answered on Cornell's next possession and the teams traded baskets for the next 6:27 of action. A jumper by Long with 12:56 to play opened up an 18-0 run for the home team to make it a 63-38 game with 9:43 to play. During the run, Cornell got consecutive treys from Flynn and Lyman, to go along with conventional three-point plays from DiMagno and Fitzpatrick.

From there, Coach Smith used her bench liberally and the Big Red rolled to the 75-55 victory.

Cornell opens Ivy League play with its first conference game of the season next weekend as it welcomes Columbia to Newman Arena on Saturday, Jan. 19 at noon. The game will be part of a double-header with the Cornell men's basketball team tipping off against the Lions at 3 p.m.