ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell rallied from a six-point deficit in the final three minutes to claim its seventh straight victory, a 73-68 triumph over Lafayette on Sunday afternoon at Newman Arena. The Leopards fell to 1-8 with the loss.

Greg Dolan, Chris Manon and Nazir Williams had 12 points apiece to lead the Big Red offense that made just 8-of-26 from 3-point range (31 percent). Dolan added four assists and three boards, Manon had six rebounds and two assists and Williams chipped in five boards. Keller Boothby was a +16 in his 23 minutes, scoring seven points, and Isaiah Gray also scored seven and posted five boards. Max Watson scored six with a game-high four steals, while Marcus Filien had five big points and chipped in four rebounds along with stellar defense.

Lafayette got 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists from Kyle Jenkins as one of three Leopard players in double figures. Leo O'Boyle netted 14 points, grabbed five boards and dished four assists and T.J. Berger scored 11 points off the bench. Lafayette shot 41 percent from 3-point range, but missed its final five behind the arc as the big Red rallied for the win.

It was far from the Big Red's sharpest game of the season despite turning the ball over just eight times, but it again fought off adversity late. Trailing 68-62 after a conventional three-point play by Jenkins with four minutes to play, Cornell chipped away with buckets by Boothby and Williams on the break before tying it with 1:37 left on a pair of Manon free throws.

Cornell took the lead on a Dolan free throw with 68 seconds left, then Manon hit two more after a defensive stop to make it 71-68. Lafayette got O'Boyle, who made big plays all afternoon, but it missed and Filien rebounded. The senior hit both shots with 10 seconds to make it a two possession game and close out the 11-0 Big Red run over the final 3:08 to win it.

 

First Half

• A 7-0 run early allowed the Big Red to get out to a 9-3 advantage.
• Lafayette caught Cornell at 12-12, then took the lead on a Rivera putback of his own miss at 16-14.
• Neither team had more than a one possession lead over the next 12 minutes until Boothby's lone 3-pointer of the day gave the home team a 38-34 edge with two minutes to play in the half.
• The lead grew to five after a three-point play by Hansen with 1:16 remaining.
• Lafayette closed with five straight to tie it at the break, with Berger banking in a 3-pointer from straightaway as the halftime horn sounded to make it 41-41.
• The Leopards made 8-of-13 from 3-point range and all seven free throws, held an 18-17 edge on the backboards and rode 12 points by O'Boyle to keep the game even.
• Dolan scored nine points and had three assists in the first half as the home team shot 48 percent and turned the ball over just four times. 
 

Second Half

• With the exception of a 21 second stretch early in the second when Cornell led by five (50-45), it was a one-possession game the entire way until Jenkins' three-point play with 4:08 remaining.
• That was the last time Lafayette scored.
• From that point on, the Big Red forced the Leopards to seven straight misses with two turnovers in the final minutes.
• Manon, meanwhile, had several big minutes down the stretch.
• The junior tipped in a miss and then hit four free throws in the final 1:37 to close out the win..
 

Next Up

• Cornell and Miami will face off for the first time in 60 years when the Big Red visits the Hurricanes on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla.
• Miami earned a 94-74 victory over the Big Red on Dec. 27, 1962 in Coral Gables in the only previous meeting between the teams. • Cornell will be in search of its first win over an ACC team since 1951-52.