NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Yale shot nearly 61 percent from the field and used a torrid first-half run to pull away from Cornell, handing the Big Red a 102-68 loss Saturday afternoon at the John J. Lee Amphitheater. Yale improved to 13-3 (2-1 Ivy), while the Big Red fell to 7-9 (0-3 Ivy).

The Bulldogs scored 59 points before halftime and never trailed after the opening minutes, building a 23-point cushion at the break and steadily extending the margin throughout the second half. A 30-6 run turned the tide of the game and was the decisive surge as the Big Red struggled to shoot just 31 percent from the floor in the first half..

Nick Townsend led a balanced Yale attack with 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting, including 4-for-5 from 3-point range. Riley Fox added 21 points off the bench, while Isaac Celiscar chipped in 14 points and 10 assists as the Bulldogs finished with 22 assists on its 39 made baskets and turned the ball over just five times. 

Cornell was led by senior Cooper Noard, who finished with 14 points, including four 3-pointers. He ended the day with 990 points. Senior Jake Fiegen added nine points, while sophomore Mateen Rafiq scored eight off the bench as the Big Red struggled to find offensive rhythm against Yale despite getting open shots throughout. The nation's leader in 3-pointers per game connected on 11, but on just .256 shooting from beyond the arc (11-of-43).  

Yale seized control early, connecting on eight 3-pointers in the first half and shooting better than 70 percent overall in the opening 20 minutes. A 12-0 run midway through the half pushed the lead into double figures, and the Bulldogs closed the period on a separate 10-3 spurt to take a commanding 59-36 advantage into intermission.

The Big Red briefly showed signs of life early in the second half, trimming the deficit with a pair of 3-pointers, but Yale answered with another surge, fueled by fast-break opportunities and second-chance points. The Bulldogs pushed the lead past 30 midway through the half and cruised the rest of the way.

Cornell shot .338 from the field, while Yale finished the game at .609 shooting and outscored the Big Red 21-7 in fast-break points.

NEXT UP
• The Big Red continues its three-game road swing when it visits Brown for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee on Monday, Jan. 19 at 2 p.m. at the Pizzitola Sports Center.
• The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
• The teams have split the season series each of the past four seasons and are 6-6 dating back to 2019.
• Cornell leads the all-time series 85-58, including 36-35 in Providence.