ITHACA, N.Y. – The Cornell women's basketball team (6-7, 1-1) hung tough with Princeton (9-4, 2-0) for three periods of play, but a big second quarter for the Tigers laid the groundwork for Princeton to walk away with the 65-41 victory on Saturday afternoon at Newman Arena in Ithaca, N.Y.
Senior forward Theresa Grace Mbanefo led the Big Red in scoring for the sixth time this season, finishing the contest with nine points and adding three rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. Mbanefo continues to be a blocking machine, as she has now notched multiple blocks eight separate times this year. Junior guard Ania McNicholas also notched a career-high two blocks in the contest, helping Cornell out-block Princeton, 7-4.
Sophomore guard Kaya Ingram continues to find her rhythm more and more each game, and that was increasingly apparent this afternoon. She scored a career-high eight points, including shooting 2-of-4 from behind the arc, while also posting a career-best two assists and career-high two steals.
In addition to her two blocks, McNicholas chipped in seven points, rounding out the stat sheet once again with three rebounds and two steals. Samantha Will pulled down a team-high five rebounds.
A strong second quarter for Princeton, combined with a standout performance from the Tigers' Abby Meyers, would steal the spotlight on Saturday, however. After Cornell found itself trailing by just six points, 11-5, at the end of the first quarter, Princeton poured it on in the second, outscoring the Big Red 23-11 in the frame to build a 34-16 lead at the half.
After scoring seven of Princeton's 11 first quarter points, Meyers netted 11 of her game-high 28 in the second, helping the Tigers go on a 16-2 run over the first five minutes of the second quarter to create separation from the Big Red that it would never relinquish. Princeton shot an impressive .563 from the floor in the quarter, making it difficult for Cornell to make up ground.
The Big Red would get back within 14, 34-20, three minutes into the second half after Mbanefo scored back-to-back baskets to open the third quarter. It's as close as Cornell would get, however, as six-straight Princeton points followed.
The Tigers' capitalized on Cornell's miscues over the course of the contest to maintain its double-digit lead, scoring 27 points off of the Big Red's 21 turnovers as compared to Cornell's 11 points on Princeton's 17 giveaways.
The Cornell women's basketball team will look to bounce back when it returns to Newman Arena for a bout with Yale on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 2 p.m. in Ithaca, N.Y.