Game #19: Cornell vs. Penn
Tip Off: Friday, Feb. 7, 2014; 7:00 p.m.
Location: Newman Arena (Ithaca, N.Y.)
Records: Cornell (11-7; 3-1 Ivy); Penn (12-5; 2-1 Ivy)
Series Record: Penn leads, 50-19
Last Meeting: Penn won, 67-40; Feb. 22, 2013
Live Stats: www.sidearmstats.com/cornell/wbball/
Video Webcast: www.IvyLeagueDigitalNetwork.com

Game #20: Cornell vs. Princeton
Tip Off: Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014; 6:00 p.m.
Location: Newman Arena (Ithaca, N.Y.)
Records: Cornell (11-7; 3-1 Ivy); Princeton (11-6; 2-1 Ivy)
Series Record: Princeton leads, 46-20
Last Meeting: Princeton won, 59-34; Feb. 23, 2013
Live Stats: www.sidearmstats.com/cornell/wbball/
Video Webcast: www.IvyLeagueDigitalNetwork.com

GAME NOTES (PDF)

THE MATCHUP: The Big Red women's basketball team (11-7, 3-1 Ivy) will look to stay atop the Ivy League standings when it plays host to Penn (12-5; 2-1 Ivy) on Friday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m., and Princeton (11-6; 2-1 Ivy) on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. Saturday's contest against the Tigers will also serve as this season's Pink Zone game. Admission to game will be free, though donations for the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes will be accepted.



THE SERIES VS. PENN: Cornell's rivalry with Penn began during the 1974-75 season and the two teams have met every year since, excluding the 1977-78 and 1978-79 seasons. The Quakers hold the all-time series record, 50-19, but the Big Red has won 10 of the last 16 meetings. Coach Smith, who served as an assistant coach for Penn from 1999-2002, holds a 10-12 record vs. her old squad.

LAST TIME VS. THE QUAKERS: The Big Red ran into a hot-shooting Penn squad at the Palestra and fell to the Quakers, 67-40. Cornell was led by the forward duo of Clare Fitzpatrick and Allyson DiMagno, who finished with 15 and 12 points, respectively. Fitzpatrick also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds with DiMagno grabbing five to see her streak of three games with a double-double come to an end. The Big Red shot just 27 percent from the floor and missed all 10 of its 3-point attempts. Penn shot lights out, connecting on 46 percent for the game and a solid 38 percent from 3-point range. The Quakers were led by Alyssa Baron's 11 points, while Kara Bonenberger finished with 10, but it was the bench that came up big for the home team, outscoring Cornell 25-7. Baron also grabbed a game-high eight rebounds to help Penn to a 39-32 advantage for the game.

THE SERIES VS. PRINCETON: The Tigers hold a 46-20 edge in the series with the Big Red, but since the 2000-01 season the competition has been much closer, with Princeton going 16-10 during that time. The series began in 1974-75 with a 51-33 Princeton victory, but the teams wouldn't meet again until the 1979-80 season. The schools have met every year since 1979-80, and the Tigers have won the last 10 outings. Coach Dayna Smith is 7-17 vs. Princeton.

LAST TIME VS. THE TIGERS: Despite holding Princeton to its lowest point total in Ivy League play this season, the conference-leading Tigers used a big first half to pull away for a 59-34 victory in Jadwin Gym. The teams played a nearly even second half, but the Big Red could not overcome a 34-14 halftime deficit. Cornell was led by Allyson DiMagno and Spencer Lane with 11 and 10 points, respectively, with DiMagno pulling down a team-high seven rebounds. Clare Fitzpatrick also chipped in six pints.The Big Red was extremely active on defense, forcing the Tigers into 21 turnovers, as eight different Cornell players registered at least one steal for a team total of 10. Princeton was led by Niveen Rasheed with 14 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals, but she was also harassed into five turnovers. Blake Dietrick and Mariah Smith finished with eight points each. After the Tigers shot better than 50 percent in the opening half, the Cornell defense stepped up and held the home team to just 39 percent in the second stanza, including a mark of 22 percent from 3-point range, to finish at 45 percent from the floor for the game. The Big Red, however, connected on just 27 percent overall and for the second night in a row did not make a 3-point shot. Princeton used it significant height advantage to earn a 45-22 advantage on the backboards.

WELCOME TO THE PINK ZONE: The Big Red women's basketball team will host its annual Pink Zone game (known nationally as Play 4Kay) vs. Princeton on Saturday, Feb. 8. The Pink Zone will feature a free Kids' Zone with inflatable obstacle course, face painting, mini golf and a poster creation station. Likewise, CFCU will be at Newman to hand out pink wrist bands, while T-shirts and canvas bags will be available for purchase with all proceeds going to the Cancer Resource Center. Admission to the women's basketball game will be free, though donations will be accepted.

MARSHALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK: For the first time in the history of the Cornell women's basketball program a freshman WAS been named the Ivy League Player of the Week, as Nia Marshall earned both Player and Rookie of the Week honors on Feb. 3. She shared both honors with Penn's freshman forward Stephanie Stipanovich.

DAVIDSON PLAYER OF THE WEEK: After having the best game of her career, Cornell senior Joelle Davidson was named the Ivy League Player of the Week on Jan. 27. It was the first honor of Davidson's career and she became the first Big Red women's basketball player other than Allyson DiMagno, a six-time honoree, to be named Ivy League Player of the Week since Lauren Benson on Feb. 2, 2009.

DIMAGNO PLAYER OF THE WEEK: After setting the Cornell school record with four Ivy League Player of the Week selections a year ago, Allyson DiMagno has earned the award twice this season, moving to 12th all-time on the Ivy League's record list. She picked up the Ancient Eight's first weekly award of the 2013-14 season after helping Cornell defeat Colgate (76-62) on Nov. 8, and followed that up with a selection on Jan. 20 after the Big Red's Ivy opener vs. Columbia.

EVERYBODY'S (ACADEMIC) ALL-AMERICAN: Allyson DiMagno was named a 2013-14 Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District first-team selection, earning the honor for the third straight year. A biological sciences major with a 3.7 grade-point average, she is just the second Academic All-District selection in the history of the Big Red women's basketball program, joining Virginia McMunigal '10, who was a second-team selection during her senior season.

IVY OPENERS: Since Ivy League round robin play began in the 1982-83 season, Cornell has posted a 16-16 record in conference openers. Head Coach Dayna Smith's record is 5-7 in the first game of Ancient Eight play. Cornell has faced the Lions more than any other team, opening the season against Columbia 16 times.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK: Nia Marshall was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week on Dec. 2 and Dec. 9, becoming the first Cornell women's basketball player to receive back-to-back Rookie of the Weeks awards since Jeomi Maduka in 2005-06 and the first Cornell player to receive two Rookie of the Week awards in a single season since Lauren Benson in 2006-07 … Marshall was named Rookie of the Week again on Jan. 13, becoming the first Big Red player to earn three Rookie of the Week selections since Maduka.

WINNING NON-CONFERENCE SLATE: The Big Red finished the non-conference portion of its season with an 8-6 record for the second straight year, giving Cornell a winning non-conference record in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1999-2000/2000-01. It is just the third time in program history that the Big Red has had back-to-back winning non-conference records (1982-83/1983-84).

NCAA LEADER: Allyson DiMagno is among the NCAA's active career leaders in Division I for free throw percentage (13th – 83.2 percent).

OFFENSIVE OUTPUT: With its 80-70 victory over Brown on Jan. 31 and its 81-46 victory over Vermont on Jan. 4, the Big Red has registered a pair of 80-point games for the first time since the 2009-10 season, when it racked up 81 points vs. Ithaca College on Nov. 15, 2009 and 92 points vs. Middle Tennessee State on Nov. 21, 2009.

MARGIN OF VICTORY: Cornell's 35-point margin of victory against Vermont was its largest since in more than five years, having defeating Brown by 33 points on Feb. 1, 2008.

RULE FOLLOWERS: The Big Red ranks second in the Ivy League and 18th in the nation in fouls per game (15.8).

I'LL TAKE THAT:
• Cornell has posted 172 steals (9.6 per game) so far this season, which is up significantly from last year when the Big Red registered 8.1 steals per game.
• Cornell entered the week ranked first in the Ivy League and 58th in the nation.
• Cornell ranks first in the Ivy League and 43rd in the nation in turnover margin (+3.17).
• The Bi g Red's 18 steals vs. Seattle were the most since the 2001-02 season, and the most ever during head coach Dayna Smith's time at the helm of the program.
• In Cornell's next game vs. Binghamton, the team finished with 16 steals, good for second overall during Coach Smith's tenure.

FREE THROW FIENDS: Allyson DiMagno (.842) ranks first in the Ivy League in free throw percentage. As a team, the Big Red makes free throws at a clip of 70.1 percent, ranking fourth in the Ivy League.

13TH TO 1,000: On Nov. 26 vs. Loyola (MD), senior Allyson DiMagno became the 13th player in Cornell history, and fourth under head coach Dayna Smith, to join the 1,000-point club … She currently ranks 10th overall in Cornell history for career points (1,185) and needs just 15 more to move into ninth place overall, surpassing Mary LaMacchia (1992-96).

TOP TEN REBOUNDS: Allyson DiMagno currently ranks second overall in Cornell history for career rebounds (835) and needs 86 more to surpass Patti Froehlich (1985-89) and become the Big Red's all-time leader … She already holds the school record for career defensive rebounds (529) and career offensive rebounds (306).

1,000/800: With her 11 rebounds vs. Howard, senior Allyson DiMagno became just the second player in Cornell history, and first ever under head coach Dayna Smith, to register at least 1,000 points and 800 rebounds for her career. The only other Cornell player to achieve that feat was Patti Froehlich, who ended her career with 1,194 points and 931 rebounds in 1989 – three years before DiMagno was born.

FRESHMAN [FOUR]CE: With two starters and two others contributing significant minutes, four members of the freshman class – Kerri Moran, Nia Marshall, Nicholle Aston and Megan LeDuc – are already putting their stamp on the 2013-14 season. All four average more than 10 minutes per game and as a group, they are shooting 41 percent (159-of-388) from the floor. The quartet is also contributing an average of 24.4 points, 11.8 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 4.1 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.

100 WINS AND COUNTING: Head Coach Dayna Smith is already the winningest coach in Cornell history, and she reached the 100-win mark for her career with the team's victory over Manhattan on Nov. 20, 2012. She has since added to that and has 121 career coaching wins.

IVY LEADERS: Several Big Red players are ranked among the top 10 in various categories in the Ivy League, including:
*Allyson DiMagno – seventh in scoring (13.84points per game)
*Nia Marshall – ninth in scoring (12.9 points per game)
*Allyson DiMagno – third in rebounding (7.8 rebounds per game)
*Nia Marshall – eighth in rebounding (6.1 rebounds per game)
*Allyson DiMagno – fourth in field goal percentage (.515)
*Nia Marshall – sixth in field goal percentage (.489)
*Kerri Moran – fourth in assist per game (3.3)
*Stephanie Long – ninth in assist per game (2.7)
*Allyson DiMagno – first in free throw percentage (.842)
*Nia Marshall – third in steals (2.1 steals per game)
*Allyson DiMagno – fifth in steals (1.7 steals per game)
*Shelby Lyman – sixth in steals (1.6 steals per game)
*Shelby Lyman – eighth in 3-point field goal percentage (.351)
*Shelby Lyman – eighth in 3-point field goals made (1.5 per game)
*Nia Marshall – third in blocked shots (1.3 blocks per game)
*Kerri Moran – fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.2)
*Allyson DiMagno – second in offensive rebounds (2.7 per game)
*Nia Marshall – ninth in offensive rebounds (2.1 per game)
*Allyson DiMagno – fifth in defensive rebounds (5.1 per game)
*Nia Marshall – eighth in defensive rebounds (4.0 per game)
*Allyson DiMagno – fourth in minutes played (33.0 per game)

MAY I ASSIST YOU?: So far this season, the Big Red has assisted on 270-of-393 baskets (68.7 percent). That is well above last season, as Cornell assisted on 66 percent of its baskets (378-of-573).

STARTING STREAK: Senior Allyson DiMagno has a 97-game starting streak, which is by far the longest active streak on the team, with four others – Stephanie Long, Shelby Lyman, Kerri Moran and Nia Marshall – tied for second at 18 games apiece. Both Long and Lyman had a starting streak ended in the final game last season.

100 THREES: The Big Red has connected on at least 100 3-pointers in each of the last six seasons and currently sits at 73 treys (4.1 per game) on the year. With 10 games left to play, Cornell needs to make just 2.7 3-pointers per game to reach the mark again this year. The Big Red has registered at least 100 3-pointers in all but one season under head coach Dayna Smith, with the 2006-07 squad coming up just short with 98 treys.

CLOSE CALLS: Since the beginning of the 2010-11 season, the Big Red has had 37-of-98 games (38 percent) decided by eight points or fewer. In those games, Cornell has posted a 20-17 record (.541).

LOW PERCENTAGE SHOTS: Since the beginning of the 2012-13 season, Cornell held 25 of its 46 opponents (54 percent) to below 40 percent shooting from the floor.

DIMAGNO'S GOT CLASS: Allyson DiMagno has been selected as one of 30 candidates for the 2013-14 Senior CLASS Award in women's collegiate basketball. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Senior CLASS Award honors the attributes of NCAA Division I senior student-athletes in four areas: community, classroom, character and competition. The list of 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot.

RECORD BREAKER: Last year, Allyson DiMagno set the Cornell single-season record for rebounds (321), defensive rebounds (196) and offensive rebounds (125) in a single season. She also set the school record for Ivy League Player of the Week selections in a season with four and set the Cornell mark for minutes played in a single game when she stayed on the court the full 50 minutes of the Big Red's double-overtime victory over Columbia

2012-13 SEASON RECAP: The 2012-13 season was one of steady improvement and individual accomplishments as a four-member senior class and a talented junior made their way up the Big Red record books. Led by Allyson DiMagno, who earned second-team All-Ivy honors following the season, the team posted a 13-15 record overall and a mark of 5-9 in the Ivy League to finish fifth overall in the conference standings. DiMagno, who moved from guard to forward prior to the season, went on to set the Cornell record for rebounds in a season. The team's seniors also left their mark on the program, beginning with Clare Fitzpatrick '13, who left Cornell ranking seventh in Big Red history in points (1,201), sixth in rebounds (609), fourth in free throws made (328), and fifth in blocked shots (68). She also became the first-ever player under Smith to reach 1,200 career points and 600 career rebounds. Spencer Lane '13, who led the Ivy League during her senior season in assists per game and assist/turnover ratio, finished her career ranking eighth all-time in Cornell history in assists (284) and 14th overall in career steals (113). Taylor Flynn '13, ended her career ranking eighth all-time in 3-pointers made (110), while forward Kristina Danielak '13 left Cornell ranking fourth all-time in career field goal percentage (.497) and 10th all-time in Cornell history with 55 career blocks.
PRESEASON HONORS: Allyson DiMagno was named a College Sports Madness Preseason All-Ivy second-team selection.

UP NEXT: The Big Red will wrap up the first half of Ivy League play next weekend when it heads to Dartmouth and Harvard on Friday Feb. 14 and Saturday, Feb. 15, respectively. The game with the Big Green will tip-off at 7 p.m., while the game with the Crimson will begin at 6 p.m.