PRINCETON, N.J. – Trailing by 21 points to Princeton early in the fourth quarter, the Big Red women's basketball team embarked on an epic comeback to get within two points with 34 seconds to play in the game, but could not find the equalizer as the Tigers held on to win, 68-64.
 
The comeback was spearheaded by Laura Bagwell-Katalinch, who tallied 14 points in the final stanza en route to a game-high 21 points. The junior forward was joined in double-digits by Samantha Widmann, who kept the Big Red in the contest early, finishing the first quarter with 10 points as Cornel trailed 19-16 at the first break. Widmann, playing in front of a large contingent of friends and family members, tallied 18 points on the evening and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds to go along with three steals and two assists.
 
Bagwell-Katalinich was a perfect 4-of-4 on the Big Red's first four possessions of the fourth quarter, and Widmann chipped in a bucket following a steal from Dylan Higgins to cap a 10-0 run with 7:45 to play in the game. Moments later the Tigers pushed their lead back to 15 points (66-51) but a traditional three-point play from Bagwell-Katlinch at the 3:26 mark sparked another Big Red run.
 
Cornell got back-to-back layups from Stephanie Umeh and Bagwell-Katlinch before a single made free throw and a Caitlyn Smith 3-pointer, Cornell's only trey in the game, made it a 66-62 contest with 1:17 to play.
 
The Big Red turned up the defensive pressure and forced another Princeton turnover, the Tiger's fourth miscue over its final eight possessions, and Widmann hit a layup with 34 seconds remaining in the contest to pull the visitors within two points (66-64).
 
The Tigers responded by getting the ball to the reigning Ivy League Player of the Year, Bella Alarie and the 6-4 forward laid it in with 11 seconds to play to seal the victory for the home team.
 
Cornell had one of its best shooting games of the season, connecting at 50 percent for the game (27-54), while holding the Tigers to just 38.7 percent from the floor (24-62). Princeton hit seven more treys than the Big Red, finishing at 32 percent from beyond the arc (8-25).
 
The home team held the edge in rebounds (35-26) and had two fewer turnovers (21-19). The Tigers also moved the ball extremely well, assisting on 22-of-24 baskets.
 
Princeton (14-9, 6-2 Ivy) was led by Gabrielle Rush's 16 points, while Alarie and Sydney Jordan finished with 10 points apiece.
 
Cornell (9-11, 3-6 Ivy) wraps up a four-game road trip when it travels Penn on Saturday, Feb. 23. Cornell will tip with the Quakers at 4:30 p.m. as the frontend of a double-header with the Big Red men's basketball team playing in the nightcap.