ITHACA, N.Y. -- Ryan Betley and AJ Brodeur combined for 44 points and a quick second half start for Penn allowed the first-place Quakers to remain in that spot, topping Cornell 79-71 on Saturday afternoon at Newman Arena. The Big Red fell to 10-13 (4-6 Ivy) with the loss, while Penn improved to 19-7 (9-1 Ivy).

Betley hit six 3-pointers on his way to 23 points and Brodeur connected on 8-of-10 shots form the floor as part of a 21-point effort. The Quakers hit on 11 3-pointers, assisted on 20 of its 26 baskets and generally controlled the second half after forcing the home team into a scoring drought of nearly four minutes to take control. Penn connected on three 3-pointers in the span of four possessions to go from a two-point deficit to a seven-point lead and never trailed over the final 18 minutes.

Four Cornell players reached double figures, led by a career-high 14 points from Terrance McBride. The freshman connected on all six shots from the field and added four assists. Junior Matt Morgan had 12 points, five assists and five rebounds, classmate Jack Gordon made all five of his shots en route to 12 points and five boards, and Stone Gettings had 11 points and seven rebounds in a balanced effort. Cornell shot 50 percent from the floor, but made just 6-of-21 shots from beyond the arc.

Penn took a lead in the first half of as many as seven points before the Big Red made a run late in the half. A Morgan jumper with four minutes to play gave the home team a lead, and he assisted on a bucket by Josh Warren underneath a minute later. After Penn regained the lead, Jack Gordon hit a jumper with 75 seconds remaining to knot the game, and that was where it went into halftime.

After McBride found Julian for the go-ahead layup on the first possession of the second half, the first of consecutive 3-pointers by Betley put the visitors into the lead for good. Penn extended the lead to as many as 13, but hopes of repeating the previous evening's comeback against Princeton was done in by the Quakers' offensive efficiency. Cornell cut the lead to five three times, but each was answered by Penn getting to the line and connecting on shots from the charity stripe.

Notes to Know
• Jack Gordon and Terrance McBride combined to shoot 11-of-11, including 4-of-4 from 3-point range. 
• Matt Morgan reached double figures in scoring for the 46th straight game, but was held to his lowest scoring output of the season.
• Morgan hit all eight free throws he attempted, moving into third place on the school's career list (338).
• The Big Red is 4-3 in its last seven games, with its three losses coming to the top three teams in the Ivy standings (Penn, Harvard and Yale).
• Cornell hit six 3-pointers, extending its streak of consecutive games with a made shot from beyond the arc to 824 contests dating back to the 1988-89 season.

Next Up
• Cornell closes out its four-game Ivy League home stand when Yale and Brown visit Newman Arena next weekend.
• The Big Red and the Bulldogs will square off on Friday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. before taking on the Bears on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m.
• Both games will be simulcast on the Ivy League Network and ESPN3.