WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. -- The Cornell men's basketball team overcame a slow start and used a strong defensive effort to claim an 81-63 victory over Monmouth on Friday afternoon at OceanFirst Bank Center. The Big Red won its fifth straight to improve to 5-1, while the Hawks slipped to 0-6.

The Big Red held the Hawks to 38 percent shooting, including 29 percent from beyond the arc, and collected 12 steals and six blocked shots in its first-ever win over Monmouth.

Four players scored in double figures for the Big Red, which shot 52 percent overall and made 14-of-35 3-pointers. Cornell assisted on 23 of its 31 baskets and shot over 50 percent in both halves. Keller Boothby and Chris Manon scored 12 points apiece, with Nazir WIlliams scoring 11 and Max Watson netting 10. Manon added three rebounds, three steals and two assists. Greg Dolan scored nine points and added five rebounds, four assists and three steals in the win.

Monmouth got 17 points, four rebounds and four steals by Jack Collins and 15 from both Tahron Allen and Klemen Vuga. The rest of the team shot just 5-of-25 from the floor, and Monmouth turned the ball over 23 times total. The Big Red outscored the home team 42-15 on fast breaks and 30-13 off turnovers.

Cornell overcame a slow start and was doubled up early by the Hawks (18-9) midway through the first half, It was still a seven-point lead (25-18) with six minutes to play, but Boothby hit a pair of 3-pointers sandwiched around one by Ragland as part of a 19-0 Cornell run over 4:06 of playing time to turn the deficit into a 12-point lead. The Big Red led by 12 at the break (39-27).

Sean Hansen scored five points in the first 65 seconds of the second half and the Big Red never saw its lead dip below 15 the rest of the way. Cornell led by 30 (71-41) with eight minutes to play and wasn't threatened the rest of the way.


 

First Half

• The Big Red trailed by as many as nine, but an explosive 19-0 run over just four minutes put Cornell in the lead for good and the defense did the rest.
• Cornell made 8-of-19 from beyond the arc, including four treys by Boothby, and the defense held the Hakws to 11-of-31 shooting overall (36 percent) in taking a 39-27 lead at the break.
• Boothby scored the Big Red's first six points on a pair of 3-pointers, and Isaiah Gray found Sean Hansen underneath for a layup as Cornell led 8-4 justfour minutes in. 
• A 14-1 Monmouth run saw the Big Red go 0-for-9 from the field with five turnovers before a Dolan trey with 8:52 left in the half got Cornell going.
• Dolan tied it up moments later when Watson's steal led to a fast break layup to knot the game at 18-18. 
• Monmouth scored the next seven to push its lead to three possessions, but Boothby's 3-pointer in transition turned the tied.
• Ragland canned a 3-pointer, then Boothby connected again forthe lead with 4:43 left.
• A Boothby steal led to an Isaiah Gray layup, then after the defense forced a shot clock violation, Ragland hit a 3-pointer and Cornell was on its way.
• Watson hit a 3-pointer on a find from Manon, then Manon scored on a pass from Dolan and Cornell's lead was double figures.
 

Second Half

• Monmouth wasn't able to get back in the game after the Big Red scored the first five points to push its lead to 17.
• Watson's layup five minutes in pushed the Big Red avantage to 20, and his 3-pointer with eight minutes to play capped an 11-2 run that extended the visitors to a 30-point lead.
• Williams scored 10 points after halftime and the Big Red shot 52 percent.
• Only a late surge by Monmouth with 10 points in the final three minutes (4-for-6 field goals) pushed its field goal percentage in the second half to its 39 percent.
 

Next Up

• Cornell will remain on the road to face its second consecutive CAA opponent when it visits Delaware on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. at  the Bob Carpenter Center.
• The contest will be broadcast live on FloHoops.
• The Blue Hens lead the all-time series 3-2 thanks to three straight victories, the last coming 73-56 on Nov. 15, 2018 in Ithaca.