ITHACA, N.Y. – The Cornell women's basketball team (2-2) got back in the win column, pummeling NJIT, 68-44, on Saturday afternoon at Newman Arena in Ithaca, N.Y.
The Big Red's convincing victory was fueled by two factors: points in the paint and strong performances from multiple Cornell reserves. Cornell staked camp in the paint, notching 46 points around the rim as compared to NJIT's 16. Sophomore forward Theresa Grace Mbanefo was a key reason for this, collecting a game-high 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting and adding eight rebounds. On the other side of the ball, Mbanefo did a great job of defending the paint, stuffing three NJIT shots.
In addition to Mbanefo, senior forward Stephanie Umeh provided a great spark off of the bench for the Big Red, notching nine points and five rebounds. She lit a fire underneath the entire Cornell squad, helping the Big Red reserves outscore NJIT's bench, 38-9.
Freshman point guard Shannon Mulroy continues to impress, recording the second double-figure scoring game of her young career. She attacked the rim with confidence while remaining a threat from behind the arc, finishing the contest with 10 points and a game-high four assists.
Sophomore guard Kate Sramac and senior guard Dylan Higgins also played a big role in Cornell's victory. Sramac chipped in eight points, while adding two rebounds and two steals. Higgins notched seven points, going 3-of-4 from the field.
The Big Red offensive attack was extremely balanced, as nine Big Red student-athletes scored at least four points. Samantha Widmann (6), Laura Bagwell-Katalinich (4), Ania McNicholas (4), and Reena Olsen (4), all had their moments in the spotlight. Widmann made a huge impact on the boards, collecting a game-high 10 rebounds, including four offensive. She was a vital reason why Cornell doubled up NJIT in the rebounding category, 46-21.
As a team, the Big Red posted a .491 field goal percentage for the game, as compared to NJIT's .277. With the win, Cornell improves to 2-2 on the season, while NJIT drops to 0-5.
The Big Red women's basketball team will return to Newman Arena for a non-conference matchup against Niagara on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. in Ithaca, N.Y.
