Women's Hoops Travels to Colgate for 2023-24 Season Opener

STREAKS, STORYLINES & SIDEBARS 

• Cornell women's basketball looks to open the 2023-24 campaign with a win for the first time since the 2021-22 season opener when the Big Red topped Colgate, 53-34, in Ithaca, N.Y. Cornell has not won a season opener on the road since 2019 when Cornell defeated UAlbany, 71-51.
• The Big Red was selected seventh in the Ivy League preseason media poll. Cornell finished 10-17 in the 2022-23 season, ending at seventh in the Ancient Eight. The Big Red tallied a road win over Brown and a sweep over Dartmouth in conference play.
• Sophomore Emily Pape returns after a strong debut season. In her rookie season, she paced the Big Red in points per game (11.2) and ranked second in points (291). Pape's field goal percentage of 52.4 percent ranked atop the Ivy and 46th on a national scale at the end of last season.
• The Big Red lost three seniors at the conclusion of last season. Between the trio, they either let the Big Red or were the team's runner-up in points, points per game, minutes played, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. Ania McNicholas, one of two captains from the 2022-23 season, finished out the year leading the conference in steals (75), and ranked 18th nationally in steals per game at 2.78. She also was tied for first in the league in triple-doubles.

THE SERIES 
First Meeting: 1978-79
Overall: Cornell leads, 23-18
In Overtime: Series tied, 2-2; Double OT: Colgate leads 1-0
Current Streak: Colgate, one game
Last Time: Colgate, 53-34 (11/10/21 in Ithaca, N.Y.)
Smith vs. Colgate: 11-6 (5-3 in Hamilton, N.Y.)
Series vs. Colgate: 
•  Standing at 41 meetings all-time, Cornell’s series with the Raiders is the longest in Big Red women’s basketball history, excluding Ivy League games.
•  The Big Red has won 11 of the last 15 games against the Raiders, holding a 23-18 lead in the all-time series.
•  Cornell won its last meeting, holding the Raiders offense to just 34 points on Nov. 10, 2021.

A WIN OVER COLGATE WOULD ... 

• Break the three-game Big Red skid dating back to last season.
• Be the first road win in the series since the 2019-20 season.
• Be the first road season opener win since the 2019-20 season.
• Be the 467th win in program history (466-762 in 53 seasons, .380).
   

LAST TIME OUT: Columbia 69, Cornell 64 (OT)
GAME STORY I BOX SCORE I GALLERY

• The Big Red wrapped up the 2022-23 season with an overtime thriller against top-of-the-Ivy Columbia. Cornell ultimately dropped the contest, 69-64, in New York, N.Y.
• Cornell dominated the opening quarter, putting up 21 points in 10 minutes while holding the Lions to 12.
• Columbia matched its score in the second quarter, but a ten-point effort by the Big Red gave Cornell the lead at halftime, 31-24.
• Columbia flipped the script in the third- quarter, notching 22 points to Cornell's 14, to give Columbia its first quarter-end lead at 46-45.
• The Big Red battled to a 16-15 finish in the fourth, including an Emily Pape layup with six second to go to know the game at 61 and force overtime.
• Cornell was led by senior Ania McNicholas, who tallied 16 points in just over three quarters of play before fouling out. 
• Emily Pape was right behind with 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
• Kaya Ingram added 11 and Shannon Mulroy rounded out double-digit scorers with 10.