ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell women's basketball dominated Clarion in Newman Arena on Wednesday, December 28 with a 93-49 victory. Senior captain Ania McNicholas tallied the first Cornell triple double since the 1987-88 season with 13 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 steals. The steal number is good for a new Cornell record for steals in a single game. The previous record of eight was notched on four different occasions.

Kaya Ingram got the Big Red started with a layup just 25 seconds into the contest. McNicholas followed suit with a battling put back layup that she turned into a three-point play after being fouled on the put back. Cornell built its lead to 9-0 before a Clarion called timeout with 7:12 remaining in the first. Clarion found its first points of the game out of the timeout on a layup to trail 9-2. Clarion kept the Cornell lead to no more than 12 through the 26-14 with 0:41 to go in the first following an and-one foul drawn by Summer Parker-Hall. Parker-Hall nailed the free. throw to expand. the lead to 13 for the first time all game at 27-14. Cornell closed out the quarter with one more basket to lead 29-14.

The second quarter was all Big Red with Cornell allowing just three points in nearly seven minutes. of game time. while expanding their lead to 47-17. Clarion found the basket again with two made free. throws at 3:04 remaining in the half. The Big Red allowed just two more points the rest of the way, leading 53-21 at the break. Cornell shot 100% from three and 50% from the field in the second quarter alone.

Ingram got the Big Red scoring again in the second half with a breakaway layup. Clarion found a spark with a 6-1 run, that included four made free throws on five attempts. Cornell got back on the scoring end following three free throws from Mia Beam, who was fouled on a shot from behind the arc, bringing the Cornell lead to 59-27 at the media timeout at 4:48. The Big Red allowed just eight points to close out the quarter, all of which were off free throw, while expanding their lead to 69-35.

Clarion was first to get a basket in the fourth, but Vivienne Knee had the immediate answer, cashing a three pointer just 11 seconds later. The three was the start of a 8-2 run for the Big Red through the media timeout, with 5:49 left in the game. Cornell built the lead to 40 at 79-39 with 4:47 remaining in the game, before closing on 14-10 scoring run.

OF NOTE

• Cornell scored 50+ points in a half for the first time since the 2011-12 season, when the Big Red tallied 50 in the second half against Cleveland State on November 11, 2011.
• The Big Red tallied 40+ points in a half for the fourth time this season.
• McNicholas's single-game steal number is tied for third in the nation this season.
• 11 of the 13 athletes who. saw. time today. scored, five of whom notched double digits.

UP NEXT
The Big Red will finally kick off conference play in the New Year when the team hosts Dartmouth on Sunday, January 1 with a tip off set for 2 p.m. in Newman Arena at Bartels Hall.