ITHACA, N.Y. -- Four Cornell players scored in double figures as the Big Red improved to 4-2 at home this season with a 76-61 win over Johnson & Wales on Friday evening at Newman Arena. The Big Red improved to 7-8 on the season overall, while the Division III Wildcats slipped to 5-8.

Senior Matt Morgan had 13 points, six rebounds, two assists and three steals, sophomore Jimmy Boeheim added 12 points and junior Thurston McCarty and sophomore Riley Voss were each credited with a career-high 10 points. No one on the Big Red roster played more than 21 minutes, with the final 15 minutes primarily the Big Red's reserves holding down the fort. Sophomore Terrance McBride had four points, six rebounds and five assists as the Big Red bench outscored the visitors 38-9. Senior Joel Davis, making his first start of the season, netted seven points with four assists and three boards. The Big Red was credited with 21 assists on 30 field goals while shooting 48 percent from the floor and held a 39-35 edge on the backboards.

Brian Hogan-Gary had a game-high 28 points and 12 rebounds for the Wildcats, with Danny Ampofo chipping in with 10 points. Three others had seven points apiece.

The Big Red won the game in a dominant first 10 minutes with the both teams' starters matching up. Cornell rolled out to a 27-8 advantage, including the last 11 points scored by Morgan. The senior got on the board quickly, as Joel Davis found him cutting to the hoop after Steven Julian won the tip for an easy bucket. The Wildcats briefly took the lead at 6-4, but that lasted only 17 seconds before Boeheim tied the contest and then 28 seconds after hit a shot to give Cornell the lead for good. It also ignited a 18-0 run that turned a two-point deficit into a 16-point lead. The spread grew to as many as 21 points in the first half on the second of two first-half 3-pointers by McCarty. The lead was 17 at the break.

An 8-0 Cornell run to start the second half allowed the starters to sit much of the second half and for the reserves to get valuable minutes. Voss had eight points after halftime and Johnson & Wales never got within 14 points, falling behind by as many as 26 before making a late run. Hogan-Gary had 18 of his points after halftime for the visitors, keeping the game respectable despite hitting just 3-of-13 3-pointers amd 6-of-12 free throws.

NOTES TO KNOW
• Morgan extended his streak of consecutive double figure games to 66.
• His three steals give him 100 for his career, becoming the 17th player in school history to reach that milestone.
• Morgan's three first half 3-pointers pushed him past Big Red head coach Brian Earl for third place all-time in Ivy League history with 282 - Earl had 281 in his four-year career at Princeton.
• The Big Red reserves outscored Johnson & Wale's subs 38-9 - the 14th time in 15 games that Cornell has outscored the opposing bench.
• It was the first time Cornell posted four double figure scorers in the same game since last season's regular season finale at Dartmouth.
• The Big Red won its seventh non-conference game this season, the most since also winning seven during the 2015-16 campaign.

NEXT UP
• Cornell closes out non-conference season when it visits Towson on Wednesday, Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. in Towson, Md.
• It will be the first-ever meeting on the hardwood between the Big Red and the Tigers.