ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell shot 56 percent after halftime and put on a defensive clinic to split the season series with Columbia, dropping the Lions 62-50 on Saturday afternoon in the Ivy League home opener for the Big Red at Newman Arena. Cornell won its third straight game at home to improve to 4-11 (1-1 Ivy), while the Lions slipped to 6-12 (1-1 Ivy).

The Big Red overcame a 24-22 halftime deficit with an efficient offense and a dominant defense. After a first half that featured 10 Big Red turnovers and 39 percent shooting overall, Cornell assisted on nine baskets with just one miscue and shot better than 50 percent, including hitting 6-of-12 shots from beyond the arc, to run away with the win. Junior Jimmy Boeheim scored 18 points, 13 in the decisive second half, and added 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season to lead four double figure scorers. Fellow co-captain Terrance McBride scored 13 points with a career-best eight rebounds and senior tri-captain Josh Warren had 11 points, six rebounds and four assists in the win. The biggest impact, however, may have come from junior guard Bryan Knapp. Knapp scored 10 points with five rebounds and two blocked shots, hounding Columbia's Mike Smith, the conference's leading scorer, all afternoon. Smith was held to 5-of-23 shooting for 15 points that included a 3-of-14 second half.

Smith, who entered the game averaging 21.0 points per night, added seven assists, four rebounds and three steals as Columbia's only double figure scorer. Randy Brumant had seven points and a game-high 11 rebounds and Tai Bibbs scored eight. After hitting 7-of-16 shots from beyond the arc in last weekend's 75-61 win in Nwe York City, the Lions made just 5-of-23 shots from deep.

With the win, Cornell improved to 3-1 in the new year, including 3-0 at home. The Big Red is now 14-13 in its last 27 Ivy contests.


 

First Half

• Columbia went into the locker room with a narrow 24-22 edge in a defensive battle that saw Cornell turn the ball over 10 times and the Lions cough it up eight, with neither team shooting better than 40 percent.
• The Big Red got off to a 4-0 start on a pair of layups by Warren as the teams traded the lead for the first 11 minutes until Jake Killingsworth nailed a 3-pointer on the break with 7:53 to play to put the visitors up 14-12.
• The Lions never extended the lead beyond four (21-17) and a Knapp jumper from the left corner tied it at 21-21 with four minutes left on the clock.
• Smith assisted on a basket and hit the second of two free throws to go into halftime leading 24-22.
• Brumant had 10 of Columbia's 16 rebounds in the first 20 minutes, while no one had more than seven points (Josh Warren) by the break.
• Along with 18 combined turnovers, Cornell and Columbia shot just 3-of-17 from beyond the arc.
 

Second Half

• The Big Red opened the second half with an 8-0 run to regain the lead for good, with Knapp scoring the first five as the home team took a 30-24 edge 2:26 in.
• Columbia got within 32-30 on a Forrest 3-pointer, but Boeheim answered with a trey on the other end to go right back up five.
• Up six points at the under 12 timeout, Cornell got a pair of defensive stops and Dean Noll hit a 3-pointer to push the Big Red to a 45-36 advantage.
• The Lions scrapped back within three after a three-point play by Smith (45-42) with nine minutes remaining, but the Big Red went on a 12-5 run to go up double digits (57-47).
• With Columbia in desperation mode late, Knapp blocked a pair of Smith drives to fire up the Cornell crowd and McBride hit 3-of-4 free throws in the final 86 seconds to seal the win.
• Boeheim's 13 points and five rebounds and 10 points and five boards from McBride made all the difference.
• Columbia ended the second half 9-of-35 (26 percent) from the floor, with Smith 3-of-14 and Jack Forrest hitting 2-of-8.
 

Next Up

• The Big Red hits the road for its first full Ivy road weekend when it visits Brown on Friday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. at the Pizzitola Sports Center in Providence, R.I. 
• The contest will be broadcast on ESPN+. 
• Cornell leads the all-time series 80-53, with the teams tied 33-33 in games played in Providence. 
• The Big Red has won two of its last three contests vs. Brown on the road and 10 of the last 14.