ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell forced 20 Yale turnovers with 15 steals and the Big Red toppled Ivy League leader Yale 71-65 on Saturday afternoon at Newman Arena. The win improved Cornell to 14-10 (6-7 Ivy) and inched the Big Red closer to a coveted spot in the Ivy League Tournament. The Bulldogs fell to 16-11 (10-3) in suffering its first loss to Cornell since 2013 after 16 consecutive wins.

The 15 steals by the Big Red is tied for the eighth-most in a game in school history, with Dean Noll collecting six (tied for fourth in a single game) and Jordan Jones adding four. The Bulldogs shot 41 percent from the floor overall and connected on just 5-of-20 3-pointers. Its 20 turnovers nullified a 44-33 edge on the glass.

After celebrating seniors Noll, Kobe Dickson, Sarju Patel and Max Samberg in a pregame ceremony, it was a junior captain who made the game's biggest play.

Greg Dolan scored 10 points and added three rebounds, but it was his backbreaking 3-pointer with just a few ticks under three minutes remaining that was the most impactful. The junior grabbed a deflected ball just inside of half court, took two dribbles and hit a 30-footer as the shot clock expired to push a five-point lead back to eight. Yale would never get within a possession the rest of the way.

Dolan was one of three Big Red players in double figures, with junior Jordan Jones and freshman Guy Ragland Jr. each scoring 11. Jones added five rebounds and four steals, while Ragland blocked two shots. Chris Manon had eight points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals and Noll had seven points, four rebounds and two assists along with his six steals. On Senior Day, Dickson had seven points, four rebounds and three assists, Patel had five points and three boards and Max Samberg assisted on one basket while making his first career start.

Jalen Gabbidon scored 15 points to lead Yale, while Azar Swain had 13. Yussi Bana-Ama scored four points with eight rebounds and two blocks off the bench, though it was the Big Red outscoring the Bulldogs 41-18 from its reserves.

FIRST HALF

• A back-and-forth first four minutes saw the home team take the lead on a conventional three-point play by Jordan Jones to make it 8-5.
• The lead was five after a 3-pointer by Keller Boothby, but a 10-0 Bulldog run switched the score, giving the visitors a 23-18 edge by the six minute mark.
• Yale took its biggest lead of the night at 27-21 on a pull-up jumper by Azar Swain at the elbow.
• Cornell responded with a 12-0 run, with eight consecutive scored by Guy Ragland Jr.
• The Big Red regained the lead on a behind the back dropoff by Dean Noll for Ragland that ended with a 3-pointer.
• Cornell went into the break with a 33-29 lead on the strength of 12 forced turnovers, including 10 steals. 
• Yale held a dominant 25-14 edge on the backboards, including 10 offensive rebounds.
 

SECOND HALF

• Cornell never surrendered its lead after the break, though it played much of the second 20 minutes within a possession.
• Chris Manon scored six straight on three consecutive driving layups after Yale clawed within a point at 37-36.
• The Bulldogs got within two and Ragland hit a 3-pointer. They got within two and Noll stole a ball in the backcourt and put it in.They got within three twice and Kobe Dickson answered with tough buckets both times.
• Leading 56-51 with under five minutes to play, Manon found a streaking Marcus Filien for a dunk.
• Manon stole in the ensuing inbounds pass and scored to make it 60-51 and force a Yale timeout.
• Less than 90 seconds later, a broken play ended up in Dolan's hands, and his deep 3-pointer took the win out of the Bulldogs' sails.
• The Big Red led by 11 with 1:48 remaining after a pair of Dickson free throws, and saw Yale get within four.
• Cornell made its final five free throws to earn the win and move closer to a bid to the Ivy Tournament.

 

NEXT UP

• Cornell closes the regular season when it travels to Columbia on Saturday, March 5 at 4 p.m. at Levien Gymnasium.
• The Big Red will attempt to complete a season sweep of the Lions after topping Columbia 88-75 on Feb. 9 in Ithaca.
• Dean Noll had a career-high 23 points and Keller Boothby added 17 in the win.
• The Lions lead the all-time series 131-104, though Cornell has won four of the last six.