ITHACA, N.Y. – The Big Red women's basketball team used an incredible defensive effort to erase a four-point halftime deficit and roll to an 85-70 victory this evening vs. Brown in Newman Arena. With the win, Cornell improves to 12-7 overall and 4-1 in the Ivy League, while the Bears slip to 12-7 overall (0-5 Ivy).
 
Both teams shot better than 50 percent over the first two periods of the game and the visitors took the 41-37 lead into the intermission, thanks to a 6-of-11 mark from beyond the arc, but Cornell locked down the Bears in the third quarter, holding Brown to a 3-of-17 performance overall and a mark of 0-of-5 from 3-point range. On the other end, the Big Red connected on 9-of-12 from the field, and made 8-of-12 from the charity stripe to go up by double-digits (64-52) heading into the fourth quarter.
 
Brown managed to get within single digits just twice over the final 10 minutes, but came no closer than eight points (77-68) in its attempt to close the gap. The Big Red made six consecutive free throws, and converted the traditional three-points play to seal the victory.
 
Cornell had four players score in double-digits, led by Nia Marshall's 23-point, nine-rebound night. The junior forward converted 7-of-10 from the field and knocked down 9-of-10 free throws, while adding four blocks and two steals. Junior guard Kerri Moran registered a career-high 19 points, thanks in large part to a 13-of-14 performance from the charity stripe, and handed out four assists. Junior guard Megan LeDuc (13) and junior forward Nicholle Aston (12) also reached double-digits and handed out five and four assists, respectively. Senior guard Maddie Campbell finished with eight points and matched Marshall with a game-high nine rebounds.
 
Brown was led by Jordin Alexander and Rebecca Musgrove, who scored 19 and 17 points, respectively, but of their combined 36 points, only 10 were scored after halftime.
                                                                                                                                                                                     
Cornell shot .551 overall for the game (27-49) and .429 percent from 3-point range (3-7), while the Bears hit just .357 from the floor (25-70) and a mere .296 from beyond the arc (8-27). The Big Red held the significant edge on the boards (41-29). Brown pulled down 11 offensive rebounds to Cornell's six, but was still outscored on second chance points, 9-8.
 
The Big Red assisted on 15-of-27 baskets, but had 14 turnovers to give the Bears an important 17-6 advantage in points off turnovers, helping to keep the visitors in the game. Brown finished with just seven miscues.  
 
COACH SMITH QUOTES
I was really happy with our offensive effort the entire game. Defensively, we had a big third quarter and that really helped us.
 
In the first half, we weren't playing penetration defense and we were losing sight of our help responsibilities. So we really talked all about defense in the second half and leveling off. They had tremendous guard play in the first half so we lost ourselves defensively and were lucky to just be down by four at the half.
 
We did a great job with their press. We talked all week about attacking their press and not settling once we get the ball over half court but to keep putting our foot on the pedal. And then in the half court I thought we really executed and made smart decisions and took some nice shots.
 
NOTES TO KNOW
* The 85 points were the most ever scored by the Big Red in the history of the series vs. Brown. The Bears scored 85 points once before in an overtime victory during the 1998-99 season.
* Cornell has scored 80+ points three times this season (Towson – 88; Columbia – 84; Brown – 85). That is the most 80+ point games since the 2007-08 team beat Colgate (82-47), Penn (80-56) and Harvard (85-61).
* The win gives Cornell a 4-1 record to open Ivy League play for the second season in a row.
* Nia Marshall finished with 20+ points for the 14th time in her career, and sixth time this season.
* Kerri Moran registered a career-high 19 points and reached double-digits for the 21st time in her career and the seventh time this season.
* Kerri Moran's 13 made free throws rank second all-time in Cornell history for made free-throws in a single game, tied with four others, behind Karen Force (15 at Yale on Feb. 1, 2003).   

UP NEXT
* Cornell welcomes Yale (11-11, 2-3 Ivy) to Newman Arena tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. 
* The Big Red will seek its first 5-1 start to Ivy League play since the 2007-08 squad went 9-1 to open its conference slate.