ITHACA, N.Y. -- The junior class combined for 64 of Cornell's 80 points and the Big Red won its second straight game with an 80-71 triumph over Lafayette on Wednesday evening at Newman Arena. The home team improved to 5-4 on the season, while the Leopards slipped to 2-9.
Junior
Matt Morgan scored a game-high 26 points, his school-record eighth consecutive game of at least 20 points, to move from 15th all the way to 12th on Cornell's career points list (1,226). He made 11 of 19 shots on the evening, including 9-of-10 from inside the arc. Junior
Joel Davis had a career-high 14 points, including a monster second half dunk, and classmates
Stone Gettings (13 points, nine rebounds) and
Jack Gordon (11 points, six assists) rounded out four double figure scorers. Junior Steven Julian didn't score, but collected eight rebounds, blocked three shots and was credited with two steals. Freshman Terrance McBride also had a career scoring high with seven points, all coming in the first half, and Josh Warren chipped in four points and six rebounds.
Matt Klinewski had 21 points to lead the Leopards, with Kyle Stout adding 17 points and eight rebounds and Alex Petrie netting 12 off the bench. The Leopards hit 10 3-pointers, including four apiece for Klinewski and Stout.
Cornell shot 48 percent for the game, had a 2:1 assist:turnover ratio (18:9) and held a 38-36 edge on the glass in addition to a 14-0 edge in fastbreak points. The Big Red led by double figures throughout the second half until Lafayette cut it to seven in the final 15 seconds.
Lafayette jumped out of the gates early with a 7-2 lead, but the Big Red controlled the game from there on out. The Big Red took the lead for good on a three-point play by Gordon eight minutes into the contest, led by as many as 11 points in the first half and 16 in the second, and cruised to its third straight home win to begin the season. A year ago, Cornell only won three home games total and didn't pick up its fifth win overall until January 21, two games into the Ivy League season.
Everyone who touched the floor contributed in the victory, with freshman Bryan Knapp scoring five first half points and Jimmy Boeheim grabbing a pair of rebounds off the bench.
Notes to Know
•
Matt Morgan had his 32nd consecutive game reaching double figures in scoring and posted his eighth straight 20-point game in the win.
• His 32 straight double figure games ties Ryan Wittman (2009-10) for second on the Cornell list and moves him within two games of the record of 34 set by John Sheehy (1953-55).
• Morgan passed Chris Wroblewski (1,202), Lenny Collins (1,212) and Louis Jordan (1,217) on the all-time scoring list.
• Juniors
Joel Davis (14) and freshman Terrance McBride (seven) both recorded career high scoring games.
• The Big Red is 2-0 since moving Terrance McBride into the starting lineup and is 4-2 since moving
Jack Gordon in.
• Cornell is a perfect 4-0 this season when leading at halftime and 11-3 since
Brian Earl took over as head coach.
• Steven Julian had his fourth game with at least three blocks this season.
•
Jack Gordon has hit at least two 3-pointers in four consecutive games.
Next Up
• The Big Red will play its final game before a short holiday break when Niagara visits Newman Arena on Saturday, Dec. 23 at 1 p.m.
• Cornell leads the all-time series 27-20, though Niagara has won two straight and four of the last five meetings.
• It will be Cornell's first matchup with the Purple Eagles on the hardwood since the 1992-93 season, and Niagara's first visit to Newman Arena since Dec. 7, 1991 — a 71-70 Niagara victory.
