ITHACA, N.Y. – Coming off an exhilarating 80-77 overtime victory against Columbia last weekend, the Cornell women's basketball team will look to start stacking wins as it continues its three-game home stand against Ivy League foes Brown on Friday, Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. and Yale on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 5 p.m. at Newman Arena in Ithaca, N.Y.

GAME INFORMATION

GAME #15: Cornell vs. Brown
GAME TIME: Friday, Jan. 31 at 6 p.m.
GAME SITE: Newman Arena (Ithaca, N.Y.)
SERIES RECORD: Brown leads, 52-28
LAST MEETING: Cornell won, 66-48, on March 2, 2019 (Ithaca, N.Y.)
2019-20 RECORDS: Cornell (8-6, 1-1 Ivy League), Brown (6-9, 0-2 Ivy League)
LIVE VIDEO (ESPN+): es.pn/2vvlE8T
LIVE STATS: bit.ly/3atfcza
TICKETS: bit.ly/36ERaOI

GAME #16: Cornell vs. Yale
GAME TIME: Saturday, Feb. 1 at 5 p.m.
GAME SITE: Newman Arena (Ithaca, N.Y.)
SERIES RECORD: Yale leads, 52-29
LAST MEETING: Cornell won, 66-56, on March 1, 2019 (Ithaca, N.Y.)
2019-20 RECORDS: Cornell (8-6, 1-1 Ivy League), Yale (12-3, 2-0 Ivy League)
LIVE VIDEO (ESPN+): es.pn/2Rxnwq0
LIVE STATS: bit.ly/3atfcza
TICKETS: bit.ly/38JdgRo

*Records prior to Friday's contests.

FULL GAME NOTES

SETTING THE SCENE:

Cornell enters its first Ivy League back-to-back weekend coming off a thrilling 80-77 overtime victory over Columbia on Jan. 25 at Newman Arena in Ithaca, N.Y. The Big Red will look to start building momentum as Ivy League play picks up when it welcomes Brown and Yale to town. Cornell downed both the Bears and the Bulldogs the last time the teams met during the 2018-19 campaign in what were pivotal wins for Cornell in making the Ivy League Tournament for the first time in its three-year history. Yale was bumped out of a spot in the tournament by Cornell last year, setting up an exciting Saturday matchup.

QUICK HITS:

• Shannon Mulroy went off in Cornell's win over Columbia, scoring a career-high 27 points, including seven 3-point baskets. Not only was this as many 3-pointers as the entire Columbia team made, but her seven long-range baskets in a contest ranks third all-time in Big Red women's basketball history.
• Following this performance, Mulroy swept the Ivy League's Player and Rookie of the Week awards on Monday, becoming only the second player in Cornell women's basketball history to do so (Nia Marshall).
• With her nine points against the Lions, Samantha Widmann surpassed the 1,000-career point plateau, becoming Cornell's 15th 1,000-point scorer in program history.
• Widmann has worked her way into the top-10 all-time in Cornell women's basketball history in career offensive rebounds (6th - 196) and career defensive rebounds (8th - 359), as well as career steals (8th - 155).
• Cornell's overtime victory against Columbia was the first overtime win for the Big Red since 2016 when Cornell defeated Dartmouth, 71-58, on Jan. 30, 2016.
• Senior forward Laura Bagwell-Katalinich was recently named one of 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award in collegiate women's basketball.
• Bagwell-Katalinich has been a scoring machine during her two seasons with the Big Red, notching double figures in 35 out of the 40 games she has played in a Cornell uniform.
• Cornell has defended the paint with pride this season, out-rebounding its opponent in 12 of the 14 games it has played so far this season. The Big Red currently owns a +12.7 rebounding margin, a mark which ranks fifth in all of Division I.
• Dayna Smith, the Rebecca Quinn Morgan '60 Head Coach of Women's Basketball, is now just four wins away from amassing 200 for her career. She stands as the winningest coach in Big Red women's basketball history.

THE SERIES VS. BROWN:

• The Bears hold a 52-28 advantage over Cornell dating back to 1974-75.
• The Bears dominated the series for the first 20 years, with Cornell winning only three times prior to the 1994-95 season.
• Since then, the series has been neck-and-neck, with the two teams splitting the last 50 matchups (25-25).
• The Big Red swept the Bears during the 2018-19 season for the first time since the 2013-14 campaign and is seeking its third straight win over Brown.

A WIN OVER BROWN WOULD:

• Improve the Big Red to 9-6 overall and 2-1 in Ivy League play.
• Be Cornell's third consecutive victory over the Bears.
• Give Coach Smith a 17-18 record against the Bears.
• Give Coach Smith 197 career victories, only three away from notching 200 for her career.

SCOUTING BROWN:

• Brown will enter Friday's contest hungry for a victory, having lost its last three contests, including a pair of Ivy League contests against Yale.
• The Bears gave Yale a run for its money when the two teams squared off in New Haven, Conn. on Jan. 17, as it was a two point game at halftime, but the Bulldogs would go on to win by seven, 79-72.
• In the re-match between the two teams on Jan. 25 in Providence, R.I., Yale dominated, winning 73-40.
• As a team, the Bears rank second in the Ivy League in free throw percentage (.704).
• Brown has been led so far this season by Justine Gaziano, who leads the team and ranks second in the Ivy League in scoring (16.4 ppg). She currently ranks second in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.408) and third in free throw percentage (.750).

THE SERIES VS. YALE:

• Yale leads the all-time series, 52-29, dating all the way back to 1974-75.
• Since 2000, the Big Red has the lead in the series, 19-17, thanks to Cornell's sweep of the Bulldogs during the 2018-19 campaign.
• Last season's sweep of Yale marked Cornell's second sweep over the Bulldogs in three seasons.

A WIN OVER YALE WOULD:

• Be Cornell's third consecutive victory over the Bulldogs.
• Give Coach Smith a 19-16 record against the Bulldogs.

SCOUTING YALE:

• Barring the results of Yale's contest against Columbia on Friday, Jan. 31, the Bulldogs enter Saturday's game having won its last six contests, including a pair of wins over Ivy League opponent Brown to jump out to a 2-0 start in conference play.
• Among these six wins was a victory over power-five foe North Carolina, as the Bulldogs went down to Chapel Hill and beat the Tarheels, 66-63, on its home court on Dec. 28, 2019.
• Yale has put up more points than any team in the Ivy League, averaging 74.4 points per game.
• The Bulldogs have been on point from long range this season, shooting an Ivy League-best 35.1 percent from behind the arc.
• Yale has been led so far this season by Roxy Barahman (16.4 ppg), Camilla Emsbo (15.0 ppg), and Ellen Margaret Andrews (14.9 ppg), who rank third, seventh, and eighth, respectively, in the Ivy League in scoring.
• Emsbo has been a force to be reckoned with in the paint, ranking first in the conference in field goal percentage (.560) and second in rebounding (8.7 rpg) and blocked shots (2.3 bpg).
• Barahman leads the Ivy League in steals (2.3 spg).

SEASON NOTES TO KNOW:

• Seven of the Big Red's eight wins have come when it has held its opponent to fewer than 60 points.
• Seven of the Big Red's eight wins have been by double-figures, including six wins by at least 20 points.
• Samantha Widmann has started 67 and played in 93 consecutive games.
• Kate Sramac has recorded at least one steal in every game this season.
• Laura Bagwell-Katalinich has scored in double figures in 12 out of Cornell's 14 contests this season, while Widmann has posted double-digit points in 10 of 14 games. The pair has also combined to lead the team in rebounding in every contest of the 2019-20 campaign.

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS:

With its 7-5 record in non-conference play, the Big Red has secured a winning non-conference record in seven of the last eight seasons.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY:

The Big Red has stuck with the same starting-five in all 14 contests that it has played this season. Freshman point guard Shannon Mulroy, junior guard Kate Sramac, senior guard/forward Samantha Widmann, junior forward Halley Miklos, and senior forward Laura Bagwell-Katalinich have gotten the starting nod for the Big Red every time it has taken the floor this season.

PROTECTING THE RIM:

The Big Red has protected the rim this season, outrebounding its opponent in 12 of its 14 contests while holding its opponents to an Ivy League-best 29.1 rebounds/game. Even more impressive, the Big Red leads the Ivy League in offensive rebounds (15.0/game) and currently ranks fifth in the nation and first in the conference in rebounding margin, out-rebounding its opponents by an average of 12.7 rebounds per game.

SHARING THE WEALTH:

Cornell has been selfless with the basketball so far this season, ranking second in the Ivy League as a team in assists/game (16.9) and having four student-athletes ranked in the top-25 of the conference in this statistical category: Kate Sramac (5th – 3.3 apg), Shannon Mulroy (10th – 3.0 apg), Samantha Widmann (14th – 2.6 apg), and Laura Bagwell-Katalinich (21st – 2.1 apg). Thanks to this team effort, Cornell sits 25th in the nation in assists/game (16.9).

POINTS IN THE PAINT:

Cornell has found a way to generate high percentage shots through its 14 contests, and the team has capitalized on them, currently leading the Ivy League and ranking 34th in the nation in field goal percentage (.447). The Big Red is averaging 34.4 points in the paint per game, accounting for approximately half of the team's scoring.

STEALING THE SHOW:

Kate Sramac has put the pressure on the opposition, forcing turnovers and collecting steals, as the junior guard currently ranks third in the Ivy League in steals per game (2.1).
 
Senior guard/forward Samantha Widmann has also had a knack for stealing the basketball over the course of her career, as her 155 career steals ranks eighth all-time in Cornell women's basketball history.

DYNAMIC DUO:

Laura Bagwell-Katalinich (15.6 ppg) and Samantha Widmann (13.2 ppg) have been the core of the Big Red offense this season, combining to lead the team in scoring in 12 of Cornell's 14 contests. The pair has scored in double figures 12 and 10 times, respectively. Bagwell-Katalinich has notched three 20+ point performances, while Widmann has posted two.
 
The senior co-captains have also been key contributors to Cornell's strong rebounding presence, as either Widmann (7.8 rpg) or Bagwell-Katalinich (7.8 rpg) has led the team in rebounding in every game of the 2019-20 campaign. Bagwell-Katalinich has amassed double-digit rebounds on six occasions, while Widmann has on four.

WIDMANN SURPASSES 1,000:

With her second basket in Cornell's contest against Columbia on Jan. 25, 2020, senior guard/forward Samantha Widmann became the 15th player in Big Red women's basketball history to score 1,000 career points. Widmann has now scored 1,005 points for her career, and counting!

MOVING ON UP:

Samantha Widmann has worked her way into the top-10 all-time in Cornell women's basketball history in career offensive rebounds (6th - 196) and career defensive rebounds (8th - 359), as well as career steals (8th - 155).

NCAA TEAM RANKINGS:

As a team, Cornell ranks within the top-75 of the NCAA in the following statistical categories:
• 5th in rebounding margin (+12.7)
• 25th in assists per game (16.9)
• 34th in field goal percentage (.447)
• 40th in rebounds per game (41.8)
• 57th in scoring defense (58.5 ppg)
• 67th in scoring margin (+8.8)

NCAA INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS:

Several Big Red student-athletes are making their presence known on the national stage, ranking in the top-100 of the NCAA in the following statistical categories:
• Samantha Widmann – 55th in minutes played per game (35.6), 60th in field goal percentage (.521)
• Laura Bagwell-Katalinich – 71st in field goal percentage (.512)

IVY LEAGUE INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS:

The following Big Red student-athletes rank among the best in the Ivy League in the following statistical categories:
• Laura Bagwell-Katalinich –  2nd in free throw percentage (.759), 3rd in field goal percentage (.512), 3rd in rebounding (7.8 rpg), 4th in scoring (15.6 ppg)
• Samantha Widmann – 2nd in field goal percentage (.521), 2nd in minutes played (35.6/game), 3rd in rebounding (7.8 rpg), 7th in steals (1.8 spg), 9th in scoring (13.2 ppg), 14th in assists (2.6 apg)
• Kate Sramac – 3rd in steals (2.1 spg), 4th in assist/turnover ratio (1.5), 5th in assists (3.3 apg), 14th in 3-PT field goals per game (1.4)
• Shannon Mulroy – 6th in 3-PT field goals per game (1.9), 8th in assist/turnover ratio (1.0), 10th in assists (3.0 apg), 14th in scoring (9.9 ppg)
• Theresa Grace Mbanefo – 6th in blocks (0.9 bpg)

A CLASS OF HER OWN:

Laura Bagwell-Katalinich has been selected as one of 30 candidates for the 2019-20 Senior CLASS Award in collegiate women's basketball. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
 
With this honor, Bagwell-Katalinich becomes only the second student-athlete in Cornell women's basketball history to be named a candidate for the Senior CLASS Award, joining Allyson DiMagno '14, who was in the running for the award for the 2013-14 season.

MULROY SWEEPS IVY LEAGUE PLAYER AND ROOKIE OF THE WEEK AWARDS:

After a spectacular performance in the Cornell women's basketball team's thrilling 80-77 overtime win over Columbia on Saturday, Jan. 25, freshman point guard Shannon Mulroy swept the Ivy League's weekly awards, being named both the conference's Player and Rookie of the Week.
 
With this accomplishment, Mulroy not only receives the first Player and Rookie of the Week honors of her career, but she is only the second Big Red women's basketball student-athlete ever to earn both awards in the same week (Nia Marshall). In addition to receiving recognition from the Ivy League, Mulroy was also named the conference's Player of the Week by College Sports Madness.
 
The freshman made it rain, pouring in a game- and career-high 27 points and sinking seven 3-point baskets, just as many as the entire Columbia team. She shot an impressive 8-of-16 from the floor and 7-of-14 from long range, and her seven 3-pointers in a contest ranks third all-time in Cornell women's basketball history. She also went a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe in some of the biggest moments of the contest.

BAGWELL-KATALINICH NAMED IVY LEAGUE PLAYER OF WEEK:

For the first time of her career, Cornell women's basketball senior forward Laura Bagwell-Katalinich was named the Ivy League Player of the Week, the conference announced on Monday, Nov. 25. In addition to being honored by the conference, Bagwell-Katalinich was also deemed the College Sports Madness Ivy League Player of the Week.
 
Between Cornell's two contests against Niagara and Delaware State, Bagwell-Katalinich averaged 25.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. In addition, she shot 13-of-14 from the charity stripe over the two games, including a perfect 10-of-10 against Niagara.
 
Bagwell-Katalinich has scored in double figures in 12 out of Cornell's 14 games so far this season, including three 20-point performances. She has now scored in double-digits in 35 of the 40 games she has played in a Cornell uniform.

RECAPPING THE 2018-19 SEASON:

The Big Red finished the season with a 12-14 overall record and a mark of 6-8 in the Ivy League. After winning three of its final four contests, the Big Red finished in a tie for fourth place in the Ivy League and clinched a spot in the Ivy League Tournament for the first time since the tournament's inception three years ago.

WHAT WAS LOST:

• The Big Red graduated one senior from the 2018-19 squad in co-captain Samantha Clement, also losing one letter winner as well as one non-letter winner.

WHAT REMAINS:

• Cornell returns all five starters and nine letter winners from a year ago. 
• The team returns its top scorer (16.1 ppg) and rebounder (7.9 rpg) from 2018-19 in Laura Bagwell-Katalinich, as well as its second leading scorer (10.8) and rebounder (6.9), Samantha Widmann.
• Widmann and Bagwell-Katalinich will serve as captains for the 2019-20 season.
• Widmann enters her third term as team captain, becoming only the second player in program history (Karen Force '04) to serve as a three-time team captain.
• Bagwell-Katalinich returns to the team after becoming only the 11th player in program history to be named first team All-Ivy League.
• Senior point guard Danielle Jorgenson returns invaluable experience, starting 53 consecutive games over her sophomore and junior seasons.
• Kate Sramac and Halley Miklos are back and ready to make an even bigger impact this season after making 19 and 17 starts, respectively, a season ago.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK:

• The Big Red added four freshmen to the 2019-20 squad.
• The group hails from four different states – California, Virginia, New Jersey, and New York.
• The group consists of one point guard (Shannon Mulroy), two guards (Ania McNicholas, KC Carter), and one forward (Anna Hovis).

IVY PRESEASON RANKINGS:

• The Big Red was picked fifth overall in the 2019-20 Ivy League Preseason Media Poll with 60 voter points.
• This marked vast improvement from last season, when the Big Red were selected eighth in the preseason poll.
• Princeton and Penn tied for first in the poll, each collecting 125 voter points after sharing the regular season Ivy League crown in 2018-19.
• Princeton held a slight advantage in the voting after winning the 2019 Ivy League Tournament, receiving 10 first place votes as compared to Penn's seven.
• Harvard (95) and Yale (90), were selected to finish third and fourth, respectively.
• Columbia (47), Dartmouth (47), and Brown (23) rounded out the bottom three.

HEAD COACH DAYNA SMITH:

• In her 18th season at the helm of the Big Red program, head coach Dayna Smith ranks fourth overall in Ivy League women's basketball history in years served as a head coach in the conference.
• Only one active coach, Harvard's Kathy Delaney-Smith (37th season), ranks ahead of Cornell's Smith.
• Smith is the winningest coach in Cornell history, and reached the 150-win mark for her career with the team's overtime victory vs. Dartmouth on Jan. 30, 2016.
• She currently stands at 196 career victories, just four away from reaching 200 for her career.

FRESH PERSPECTIVES:

Coach Smith welcomed two new assistant coaches to the staff for the 2019-20 season - Claire Mattox (Washington College '14) and Joe Rutigliano (Canisius '15).

UP NEXT:

The Big Red women's basketball team will play its first back-to-back Ivy League road games of the season when it squares off against pre-season conference favorites Princeton on Friday, Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. in Princeton, N.J., and Penn on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. in Philadelphia.