News and Notes for 2.28.09 (updated 1:03 pm)

GAME PREVIEW CENTER

Get all the information you need about Cornell's game tonight at Harvard with The Cornell Basketball Blog's Game Preview Center. Also, come join the discussion of Cornell and Ivy League Basketball by posting a message on The Cornell Basketball Blog's Community Forum and Message Board (click here, free membership).

WATCHING THE GAME AT HARVARD

* Live video at Harvard (Harvard subscription required)
* Live stats at Harvard
* Cornell Redcast Audio/Video Coverage (Redcast subscription required)
*Slope TV Audio Coverage (Free)

CORNELL RPI WATCH

As of February 28, 2009, Cornell's RPI (according to Rivals.com) is No. 114 out of 343 Division I teams nationwide. Cornell is also ranked No. 96 according to Ken Pomeroy's Ranking and No. 115 in Jeff Sagarin's USA Today Ranking.

As Ivy League Champions last season, Cornell finished 2007-2008 with a final RPI of No. 65 out of 341 Division I teams.

BIG RED BRACKETS

The Cornell Basketball Blog monitors the Big Red's bracket projections until the 2009 NCAA Tournament Selection Sunday. Click Big Red Brackets to view the latest projections.

SCHEDULE, RESULTS, STANDINGS

Cornell Big Red 2008-2009 Results

19-8 Record Through February 28, 2009

	Date	Opponent	Result
	Fri, Nov 14	South Dakota	W 79-69
	Mon, Nov 17	at St. John's	L 75-86
	Tue, Nov 18	at Loyola (MD)	W 82-72
	Sat, Nov 22	at Siena	L 56-74
	Mon, Nov 24	Loyola Chicago	W 78-53
	Tue, Nov 25	East. Michigan	W 67-54
	Sun, Nov 30	at Indiana	L 57-72
	Wed, Dec 3	at (16) Syracuse	L 78-88
	Sat, Dec 6	at Minnesota	L 54-71
	Sat, Dec 20	La Salle	W 79-70
	Mon, Dec 22	at St. Joseph's	L 67-71
	Mon, Dec 29	Boston U.	W 89-59
	Wed, Dec 31	Quinnipiac	W 73-70
	Sat, Jan 3	Ursinus	W 99-45
	Tue, Jan 6	Bucknell	W 75-64
	Mon, Jan 12	at Bryant	W 69-46
	Sat, Jan 17	at Columbia	W 71-59
	Sat, Jan 24	Columbia	W 83-72
	Fri, Jan 30	Brown	W 90-58
	Sat, Jan 31	Yale	W 64-36
	Fri, Feb 6	at Princeton	L 41-61
	Sat, Feb 7	at Pennsylvania	W 88-73
	Fri, Feb 13	Harvard	W 96-75
	Sat, Feb 14	Dartmouth	W 79-76
	Fri, Feb 20	at Yale	L 60-72
	Sat, Feb 21	at Brown	W 85-45
	Fri, Feb 27	at Dartmouth	W 75-57
	Date	Opponent	Time
	Sat, Feb 28	at Harvard	7:00 pm
	Fri, Mar 6	Pennsylvania	7:00 pm
	Sat, Mar 7	Princeton	7:00 pm

IVY LEAGUE STANDINGS

Through February 28, 2009

Cornell	9-2	19-8
Yale	7-4	12-13
Princeton	6-4	11-12
Columbia	6-5	11-14
Dartmouth	6-5	8-17
Pennsylvania	4-6	8-16
Harvard	4-7	12-13
Brown	1-10	7-18

here are the recent results and upcoming games around the Ivy League...

Friday, February 27
*Brown 48 Princeton 56 (Box Score - Recap)
*Yale 87 Penn 79 (Box Score - Recap)
*Columbia 63 Harvard 72 (Box Score - Recap)
*Cornell 75 Dartmouth 57 (Box Score - Recap)

Saturday, February 28
*Yale at Princeton, 6 pm
*Brown at Penn, 7 pm
*Columbia at Dartmouth, 7 pm
*Cornell at Harvard, 7 pm

Friday, March 6
*Dartmouth at Yale, 7 pm
*Harvard at Brown, 7 pm
*Princeton at Columbia, 7 pm
*Penn at Cornell, 7 pm

Saturday, March 7
*Dartmouth at Brown, 7 pm
*Harvard at Yale, 7 pm
*Penn at Columbia, 7 pm
*Princeton at Cornell, 7 pm

Tuesday, March 10
*Princeton at Penn, 8 pm

Thursday, March 12
Ivy Playoff (if necessary)

Saturday, March 14
Ivy Playoff (if necessary)

Thursday-Friday, March 19-20
NCAA First Rounds

News and Notes for 2.28.09 (updated 1:03 pm)

GAME PREVIEW CENTER

Get all the information you need about Cornell's game tonight at Harvard with The Cornell Basketball Blog's Game Preview Center. Also, come join the discussion of Cornell and Ivy League Basketball by posting a message on The Cornell Basketball Blog's Community Forum and Message Board (click here, free membership).

WATCHING THE GAME AT HARVARD

* Live video at Harvard (Harvard subscription required)
* Live stats at Harvard
* Cornell Redcast Audio/Video Coverage (Redcast subscription required)
*Slope TV Audio Coverage (Free)

CORNELL RPI WATCH

As of February 28, 2009, Cornell's RPI (according to Rivals.com) is No. 114 out of 343 Division I teams nationwide. Cornell is also ranked No. 96 according to Ken Pomeroy's Ranking and No. 115 in Jeff Sagarin's USA Today Ranking.

As Ivy League Champions last season, Cornell finished 2007-2008 with a final RPI of No. 65 out of 341 Division I teams.

BIG RED BRACKETS

The Cornell Basketball Blog monitors the Big Red's bracket projections until the 2009 NCAA Tournament Selection Sunday. Click Big Red Brackets to view the latest projections.

SCHEDULE, RESULTS, STANDINGS

Cornell Big Red 2008-2009 Results

19-8 Record Through February 28, 2009

	Date	Opponent	Result
	Fri, Nov 14	South Dakota	W 79-69
	Mon, Nov 17	at St. John's	L 75-86
	Tue, Nov 18	at Loyola (MD)	W 82-72
	Sat, Nov 22	at Siena	L 56-74
	Mon, Nov 24	Loyola Chicago	W 78-53
	Tue, Nov 25	East. Michigan	W 67-54
	Sun, Nov 30	at Indiana	L 57-72
	Wed, Dec 3	at (16) Syracuse	L 78-88
	Sat, Dec 6	at Minnesota	L 54-71
	Sat, Dec 20	La Salle	W 79-70
	Mon, Dec 22	at St. Joseph's	L 67-71
	Mon, Dec 29	Boston U.	W 89-59
	Wed, Dec 31	Quinnipiac	W 73-70
	Sat, Jan 3	Ursinus	W 99-45
	Tue, Jan 6	Bucknell	W 75-64
	Mon, Jan 12	at Bryant	W 69-46
	Sat, Jan 17	at Columbia	W 71-59
	Sat, Jan 24	Columbia	W 83-72
	Fri, Jan 30	Brown	W 90-58
	Sat, Jan 31	Yale	W 64-36
	Fri, Feb 6	at Princeton	L 41-61
	Sat, Feb 7	at Pennsylvania	W 88-73
	Fri, Feb 13	Harvard	W 96-75
	Sat, Feb 14	Dartmouth	W 79-76
	Fri, Feb 20	at Yale	L 60-72
	Sat, Feb 21	at Brown	W 85-45
	Fri, Feb 27	at Dartmouth	W 75-57
	Date	Opponent	Time
	Sat, Feb 28	at Harvard	7:00 pm
	Fri, Mar 6	Pennsylvania	7:00 pm
	Sat, Mar 7	Princeton	7:00 pm

IVY LEAGUE STANDINGS

Through February 28, 2009

Cornell	9-2	19-8
Yale	7-4	12-13
Princeton	6-4	11-12
Columbia	6-5	11-14
Dartmouth	6-5	8-17
Pennsylvania	4-6	8-16
Harvard	4-7	12-13
Brown	1-10	7-18

here are the recent results and upcoming games around the Ivy League...

Friday, February 27
*Brown 48 Princeton 56 (Box Score - Recap)
*Yale 87 Penn 79 (Box Score - Recap)
*Columbia 63 Harvard 72 (Box Score - Recap)
*Cornell 75 Dartmouth 57 (Box Score - Recap)

Saturday, February 28
*Yale at Princeton, 6 pm
*Brown at Penn, 7 pm
*Columbia at Dartmouth, 7 pm
*Cornell at Harvard, 7 pm

Friday, March 6
*Dartmouth at Yale, 7 pm
*Harvard at Brown, 7 pm
*Princeton at Columbia, 7 pm
*Penn at Cornell, 7 pm

Saturday, March 7
*Dartmouth at Brown, 7 pm
*Harvard at Yale, 7 pm
*Penn at Columbia, 7 pm
*Princeton at Cornell, 7 pm

Tuesday, March 10
*Princeton at Penn, 8 pm

Thursday, March 12
Ivy Playoff (if necessary)

Saturday, March 14
Ivy Playoff (if necessary)

Thursday-Friday, March 19-20
NCAA First Rounds

Cornell Athletics Game Notes for Harvard

Men's Hoops Eyes Second Straight Ivy Title When It Meets Harvard CornellBigRed.com

Game notes supplement vs. Harvard

Game Information Cornell at Harvard
Tip off: Saturday, Feb. 28, at 7:00 p.m.
Site: Lavietes Pavilion (2,050), Cambridge, Mass.
2008-09 Records: Cornell (19-8, 9-2 Ivy League); Harvard (12-13, 4-7 Ivy League)
Series Record: Cornell leads 88-67
Last Meeting: Cornell won 96-75, February 13, 2009 in Ithaca, N.Y.

Head Coach Steve Donahue Cornell head coach Steve Donahue is in his ninth season at Cornell (115-131, .467) ... Donahue became the fourth Robert E. Gallagher ‘44 Coach of Men’s Basketball at Cornell on Sept. 6, 2000.

---

ITHACA, N.Y. — The Cornell men’s basketball team will attempt to clinch a share of its second consecutive Ivy League title when it meets Harvard on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. at Lavietes Pavilion. The Big Red (19-8, 9-2 Ivy) face a Crimson team (12-13, 4-7) fresh off a 72-63 win over Columbia on Friday. The contest will have Barry Leonard providing the call locally on 1160 ESPN Radio as well as part of the RedCast subscription service.

The Big Red methodically took apart Dartmouth on Friday evening, capturing a 75-57 victory that eliminated the Big Green from contention. Cornell hit 50 percent of its shots, including 11-of-19 from 3-point range. Ivy League Player of the Year candidate Ryan Wittman netted 20 points and connected on 4-of-5 from beyond the arc in the victory. Louis Dale added 14 points, while both Jeff Foote and Chris Wroblewski each had 11.

WIth a victory over the Crimson on their senior day, the Big Red would guarantee itself no worse than a share of the title and would have a two game lead with two to play vs. the winner of tonight’s Yale-Princeton contest. The loser of that game will be eliminated from contention for the championship. The Big Red could then claim the outright title with either combination of a victory against either Penn on March 6 or Princeton on March 7, or a loss by the winner of tonight’s Yale-Princeton contest.

Cornell Athletics Game Notes for Harvard

Men's Hoops Eyes Second Straight Ivy Title When It Meets Harvard CornellBigRed.com

Game notes supplement vs. Harvard

Game Information Cornell at Harvard
Tip off: Saturday, Feb. 28, at 7:00 p.m.
Site: Lavietes Pavilion (2,050), Cambridge, Mass.
2008-09 Records: Cornell (19-8, 9-2 Ivy League); Harvard (12-13, 4-7 Ivy League)
Series Record: Cornell leads 88-67
Last Meeting: Cornell won 96-75, February 13, 2009 in Ithaca, N.Y.

Head Coach Steve Donahue Cornell head coach Steve Donahue is in his ninth season at Cornell (115-131, .467) ... Donahue became the fourth Robert E. Gallagher ‘44 Coach of Men’s Basketball at Cornell on Sept. 6, 2000.

---

ITHACA, N.Y. — The Cornell men’s basketball team will attempt to clinch a share of its second consecutive Ivy League title when it meets Harvard on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. at Lavietes Pavilion. The Big Red (19-8, 9-2 Ivy) face a Crimson team (12-13, 4-7) fresh off a 72-63 win over Columbia on Friday. The contest will have Barry Leonard providing the call locally on 1160 ESPN Radio as well as part of the RedCast subscription service.

The Big Red methodically took apart Dartmouth on Friday evening, capturing a 75-57 victory that eliminated the Big Green from contention. Cornell hit 50 percent of its shots, including 11-of-19 from 3-point range. Ivy League Player of the Year candidate Ryan Wittman netted 20 points and connected on 4-of-5 from beyond the arc in the victory. Louis Dale added 14 points, while both Jeff Foote and Chris Wroblewski each had 11.

WIth a victory over the Crimson on their senior day, the Big Red would guarantee itself no worse than a share of the title and would have a two game lead with two to play vs. the winner of tonight’s Yale-Princeton contest. The loser of that game will be eliminated from contention for the championship. The Big Red could then claim the outright title with either combination of a victory against either Penn on March 6 or Princeton on March 7, or a loss by the winner of tonight’s Yale-Princeton contest.

Sports Network Preview of Cornell at Harvard

Cornell (19-8) at Harvard (12-13)

The Sports Network

DATE & TIME: Saturday, February 28th, 7:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Lavietes Pavilion (2,195) -- Cambridge, Massachusetts. Television: None. Home Record: Cornell 11-0, Harvard 6-6. Away Record: Cornell 5-7, Harvard 6-7. Neutral Record: Cornell 3-1, Harvard 0-0. Conference Record: Cornell 9-2, Harvard 4-7. Series Record: Cornell leads, 86-67.

GAME NOTES: The Cornell Big Red try to draw closer to repeating as Ivy League champions as they stop in to face the Harvard Crimson at Lavietes Pavilion tonight. Last night Cornell paid a visit to Dartmouth and used that meeting to log a 75-57 win and move to 9-2 in league play. While a victory tonight will not assure the Big Red the outright title in the Ancient Eight, it will put them in a commanding seat when it comes to vying for a spot in postseason play. Meanwhile, Harvard picked up its second win in a row last night with a 72-63 decision over Columbia in this very building. Unfortunately for the Crimson, the team is now just 4-7 in conference and has trips to Brown and Yale waiting on the horizon next week. Cornell moved its advantage in the all- time series against the Crimson to 86-67 thanks to a 96-75 blowout in the first meeting of the season back on February 13.

Ryan Wittman scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Big Red to the 18-point win over Dartmouth at Leede Arena last night. Also scoring in double figures for the Big Red, now one win away from clinching at least a share of their second straight league title, were Louis Dale with 14 points and Jeff Foote and Chris Wroblewski with 11 apiece in the team's second straight triumph. Cornell finished the evening knocking down an impressive 11-of-19 shots out on the perimeter. Wittman, a 40.9 percent shooter behind the three-point line and an 82.2 percent marksman at the free-throw line, accounts for 18.3 ppg to pace the program this season. But more than that, Wittman is also responsible for a team-best 72 assists and is clearing just over three and a half rebounds per game as well. Dale and Foote account for 13.9 and 12.2 ppg, respectively, as well.

Jeremy Lin posted 14 points and nine rebounds to help lead the Crimson to the nine-point win over the Columbia Lions at Lavietes Pavilion just last night. Lin, who shot 6-of-10 from the field, added five assists for the Crimson as they squad won for the second straight game. Keith Wright added 14 points, six boards and four blocked shots for the home team, followed by Drew Housman and Oliver McNally with 10 points apiece. Harvard overcame 16 turnovers and just 4-of-16 shooting beyond the arc by ruling the glass, 39-27. Lin leads the team in scoring this season with his 17.9 ppg, the lone double- digit scorer on the roster through 25 games. He is shooting not only 51 percent from the floor, but also 41.9 percent behind the three-point line, all while leading the program with 5.4 rpg and 109 assists, not to mention 63 steals which tells the story of a player who puts every ounce of effort into his play at both ends of the floor.

Both of these teams has a singular star who is capable of carrying his squad into the win column. However, in the case of the Big Red there is also a strong supporting cast that is unlike anything Harvard can put on the floor so expect Cornell to inch closer to the postseason with a win.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Cornell 77, Harvard 65

Sports Network Preview of Cornell at Harvard

Cornell (19-8) at Harvard (12-13)

The Sports Network

DATE & TIME: Saturday, February 28th, 7:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Lavietes Pavilion (2,195) -- Cambridge, Massachusetts. Television: None. Home Record: Cornell 11-0, Harvard 6-6. Away Record: Cornell 5-7, Harvard 6-7. Neutral Record: Cornell 3-1, Harvard 0-0. Conference Record: Cornell 9-2, Harvard 4-7. Series Record: Cornell leads, 86-67.

GAME NOTES: The Cornell Big Red try to draw closer to repeating as Ivy League champions as they stop in to face the Harvard Crimson at Lavietes Pavilion tonight. Last night Cornell paid a visit to Dartmouth and used that meeting to log a 75-57 win and move to 9-2 in league play. While a victory tonight will not assure the Big Red the outright title in the Ancient Eight, it will put them in a commanding seat when it comes to vying for a spot in postseason play. Meanwhile, Harvard picked up its second win in a row last night with a 72-63 decision over Columbia in this very building. Unfortunately for the Crimson, the team is now just 4-7 in conference and has trips to Brown and Yale waiting on the horizon next week. Cornell moved its advantage in the all- time series against the Crimson to 86-67 thanks to a 96-75 blowout in the first meeting of the season back on February 13.

Ryan Wittman scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Big Red to the 18-point win over Dartmouth at Leede Arena last night. Also scoring in double figures for the Big Red, now one win away from clinching at least a share of their second straight league title, were Louis Dale with 14 points and Jeff Foote and Chris Wroblewski with 11 apiece in the team's second straight triumph. Cornell finished the evening knocking down an impressive 11-of-19 shots out on the perimeter. Wittman, a 40.9 percent shooter behind the three-point line and an 82.2 percent marksman at the free-throw line, accounts for 18.3 ppg to pace the program this season. But more than that, Wittman is also responsible for a team-best 72 assists and is clearing just over three and a half rebounds per game as well. Dale and Foote account for 13.9 and 12.2 ppg, respectively, as well.

Jeremy Lin posted 14 points and nine rebounds to help lead the Crimson to the nine-point win over the Columbia Lions at Lavietes Pavilion just last night. Lin, who shot 6-of-10 from the field, added five assists for the Crimson as they squad won for the second straight game. Keith Wright added 14 points, six boards and four blocked shots for the home team, followed by Drew Housman and Oliver McNally with 10 points apiece. Harvard overcame 16 turnovers and just 4-of-16 shooting beyond the arc by ruling the glass, 39-27. Lin leads the team in scoring this season with his 17.9 ppg, the lone double- digit scorer on the roster through 25 games. He is shooting not only 51 percent from the floor, but also 41.9 percent behind the three-point line, all while leading the program with 5.4 rpg and 109 assists, not to mention 63 steals which tells the story of a player who puts every ounce of effort into his play at both ends of the floor.

Both of these teams has a singular star who is capable of carrying his squad into the win column. However, in the case of the Big Red there is also a strong supporting cast that is unlike anything Harvard can put on the floor so expect Cornell to inch closer to the postseason with a win.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Cornell 77, Harvard 65

Cornell Basketball in the News

Cornell Basketball in the news --from the Daily Pennsylvanian:

Penn’s five remaining games still mean a lot to the program, of course. But for Ivy League basketball as a whole, what matters is sending a strong representative to the NCAA Tournament. That team’s showing in the first-round Tournament game ultimately determines its place in Ivy League lore, and a good showing — even, dare I say it, a win — would do more to raise the league’s national profile than any hypothetical conference tournament on ESPNU ever could.

In that regard, it’s best if Cornell wins the league again this year, which it is nearly a lock to do. The Big Red’s current RPI is 116, according to realtimerpi.com; the next closest Ivy is Yale, at 227, out of 343 Division I teams. So, as any Ivy League fan, I’ll be rooting for Steve Donahue’s club to win its four remaining games. Their magic number is three.

Cornell Basketball in the News

Cornell Basketball in the news --from the Daily Pennsylvanian:

Penn’s five remaining games still mean a lot to the program, of course. But for Ivy League basketball as a whole, what matters is sending a strong representative to the NCAA Tournament. That team’s showing in the first-round Tournament game ultimately determines its place in Ivy League lore, and a good showing — even, dare I say it, a win — would do more to raise the league’s national profile than any hypothetical conference tournament on ESPNU ever could.

In that regard, it’s best if Cornell wins the league again this year, which it is nearly a lock to do. The Big Red’s current RPI is 116, according to realtimerpi.com; the next closest Ivy is Yale, at 227, out of 343 Division I teams. So, as any Ivy League fan, I’ll be rooting for Steve Donahue’s club to win its four remaining games. Their magic number is three.

Ithaca Journal: Delaney on Playing Rotation, Recap of Cornell Victory at Dartmouth, Scouting Harvard

March to Madness: More on Dartmouth

By Brian Delaney
March to Madness Blog
February 27, 2009

Steve Donahue is planning on dipping into his bench more this weekend, a result of that Yale loss last Friday. On Saturday, Adam Gore's minutes spiked to 15, and Jason Battle played a bigger role.

Here's what Steve had to say on the subject:

"For one, Gore’s come around a lot more; his presence is felt by our other guys and you can’t measure it. It’s there and you can feel it. And Jason Battle is playing better and maybe he’s a better matchup in the league than say Adam Wire – not that he can’t – but Battle may give you things that Adam Wire doesn’t. And they both can help you. I think it keeps us fresher this time of year; I think they’re all good players; I think that’s an advantage we have, and I think it’s foolish if we don’t (use it). I sense that the guys are fired up that more guys are playing and we’re getting more energy throughout the game.”

I asked if he felt that played a role in the Yale loss. His response:

"I felt that a little bit. I wish I went a little deeper into the bench early and gave guys breaks, because we’re up seven with 15 to go in the game and we’re just not playing with the energy that I would like. I think that may have helped, and Kreef’s another guy. Those veteran, senior guys knows what it takes in the league, and I don't want to underestimate that so they’re going into the rotation, helping guys, probably more often that we’ve had the last seven, eight games.”

Junior Jon Jaques has simulated Alex Barnett this week in practice. I'll say this about Jaques - the kid can flat out hit tough, tough shots. I saw a few shots drop Wednesday that I'm not sure Barnett can make.

Lou Dale's take on Jaques' work in practice:

"I think he’s really good because he makes hard shots and he’ll make hard shots. That’s what helps get us ready for Barnett. He might not be as athletic, but at the same time he can shoot those same shots, make hard ones and fadeaways, and it definitely helps us in practice.”

Cornell inches closer to Ivy title Big Red ends gets a Friday road victory

Ithaca Journal Staff
February 28, 2009

HANOVER, N.H. — After sitting out the bulk of this season rehabbing a knee injury, then playing minimal minutes since his return last month, Adam Gore can now tell himself his fingerprints are all over an important win.

In a pivotal three-play sequence early in the second half that blew open the game, the Cornell senior guard pump-faked a defender to set up a Chris Wroblewski 3-pointer, then knocked down consecutive triples to spark the Big Red to a 75-57 victory at Leede Arena.

"It felt pretty good," Gore said. "Reminiscent of some of those old days from last year and past years."

Said Cornell coach Steve Donahue: "I really can't put a word out that describes how much he means to this team. He's incredible in terms of his energy and his leadership."

Cornell moved one giant step closer to its second straight Ivy League championship. With a win tonight at Harvard (12-13, 4-7), the Big Red can clinch at least a share of the title with the opportunity to win it outright against Penn on March 6 at Newman Arena.

Because Princeton (11-12, 6-4) and Yale (12-13, 7-4) both won Friday night, and play each other tonight at Jadwin Gymnasium, Cornell (19-8, 9-2) can't lock down the league's NCAA automatic berth until next weekend at the earliest. Harvard beat Columbia (11-14, 6-5) on Friday, all but eliminating the Lions from contention.

Ryan Wittman continued his torrid shooting of late, scoring 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 marksmanship from behind the arc. Louis Dale finished with 14 points, and Chris Wroblewski and Jeff Foote each added 11.

Donahue credited three of his seniors, Gore, Jason Battle and Brian Kreefer — each of whom saw extended minutes — for making important contributions.

"After that Yale (loss last weekend), I thought they were guys that needed to be out there, and they needed to be apart of finishing their careers the right way," Donahue said.

Cornell led 37-34 early in the second half when Gore set up Wroblewski's 3-pointer. On the next possession Gore drained a long trey from the right wing, forcing Dartmouth into a momentum timeout. It didn't work, because a Foote offensive rebound set up Gore again, and his aim was true.

Dartmouth clawed back to within eight, but two 3's from Wittman and another from Wroblewski broke the Big Green's spirit with just under 10 minutes to play.

On the night, Cornell shot a sizzling 57.9 percent (11 for 19) from beyond the arc. They outrebounded Dartmouth, 34-30, and defended Alex Barnett well enough that the 6-6 senior finished with 19 points, an average night by his standards.

Dartmouth was coming off a historic road sweep of Penn and Princeton, but couldn't extend its streak of wins.

"The last weekend Dartmouth played as good as anyone I've seen play at Penn and Princeton," Donahue said. "Terry Dunn has done a terrific job. ... I'm thrilled we were able to win this basketball game on their home court."

Notes: In other Ivy men's action, Princeton beat Brown, 56-48; Harvard beat Columbia, 72-63; and Penn fell to 0-5 in the league at the Palestra with an 87-79 loss to Yale.

Scouting Harvard

(not including Friday's games)

Coach: Tommy Amaker (2nd season)

Record: 11-13, 3-7 Ivy League

Last time out: Harvard won at the Palestra for the first time since 1991, getting 22 points from senior Drew Housman in a 66-60 victory on Feb. 21.

Last time vs. Cornell: Cornell set a new record for assists in a game with 31, and freshman Chris Wroblewski established career-highs of 17 points and seven assists in the Big Red's 96-75 victory on Feb. 13 in Ithaca.

Probable starters: Evan Harris (6-8, 230, Sr., F), Keith Wright (6-8, 240, Fr., F), Jeremy Lin (6-3, 200, Jr., F), Drew Housman (6-0, 185, Sr., G), Andrew Pusar (6-2, 200, Sr., G).

Statistically: Lin leads the Crimson in scoring at 18.1 points per game, and ranks 10th in rebounding (5.3), first in steals (2.6) and second in assists (4.3) in the league. ... Harvard is 0-4 in the first of back-to-back games, and 2-2 in the second of back-to-back games. ... Harvard is 1-8 when its opponent scores 70 or more points.

Outlook: The Crimson were overwhelmed by Cornell's massive height advantage two weeks ago in Ithaca, as the Big Red passed through, around and over its counterpart in a 21-point win.

Harvard's been a much better team at home, and was the team that came closest to handing Cornell an Ivy League loss last year. The Big Red needed six points in the final 30 seconds from Alex Tyler to win by a point.

That said, Harvard is hands down the league's worst defensive team, and unless Amaker's young kids catch lightning in the bottle, Cornell should be able to outscore them in a repeat of that Feb. 13 game.

With two wins this weekend, Cornell would capture at least a share of its second straight Ivy League title.

Ithaca Journal: Delaney on Playing Rotation, Recap of Cornell Victory at Dartmouth, Scouting Harvard

March to Madness: More on Dartmouth

By Brian Delaney
March to Madness Blog
February 27, 2009

Steve Donahue is planning on dipping into his bench more this weekend, a result of that Yale loss last Friday. On Saturday, Adam Gore's minutes spiked to 15, and Jason Battle played a bigger role.

Here's what Steve had to say on the subject:

"For one, Gore’s come around a lot more; his presence is felt by our other guys and you can’t measure it. It’s there and you can feel it. And Jason Battle is playing better and maybe he’s a better matchup in the league than say Adam Wire – not that he can’t – but Battle may give you things that Adam Wire doesn’t. And they both can help you. I think it keeps us fresher this time of year; I think they’re all good players; I think that’s an advantage we have, and I think it’s foolish if we don’t (use it). I sense that the guys are fired up that more guys are playing and we’re getting more energy throughout the game.”

I asked if he felt that played a role in the Yale loss. His response:

"I felt that a little bit. I wish I went a little deeper into the bench early and gave guys breaks, because we’re up seven with 15 to go in the game and we’re just not playing with the energy that I would like. I think that may have helped, and Kreef’s another guy. Those veteran, senior guys knows what it takes in the league, and I don't want to underestimate that so they’re going into the rotation, helping guys, probably more often that we’ve had the last seven, eight games.”

Junior Jon Jaques has simulated Alex Barnett this week in practice. I'll say this about Jaques - the kid can flat out hit tough, tough shots. I saw a few shots drop Wednesday that I'm not sure Barnett can make.

Lou Dale's take on Jaques' work in practice:

"I think he’s really good because he makes hard shots and he’ll make hard shots. That’s what helps get us ready for Barnett. He might not be as athletic, but at the same time he can shoot those same shots, make hard ones and fadeaways, and it definitely helps us in practice.”

Cornell inches closer to Ivy title Big Red ends gets a Friday road victory

Ithaca Journal Staff
February 28, 2009

HANOVER, N.H. — After sitting out the bulk of this season rehabbing a knee injury, then playing minimal minutes since his return last month, Adam Gore can now tell himself his fingerprints are all over an important win.

In a pivotal three-play sequence early in the second half that blew open the game, the Cornell senior guard pump-faked a defender to set up a Chris Wroblewski 3-pointer, then knocked down consecutive triples to spark the Big Red to a 75-57 victory at Leede Arena.

"It felt pretty good," Gore said. "Reminiscent of some of those old days from last year and past years."

Said Cornell coach Steve Donahue: "I really can't put a word out that describes how much he means to this team. He's incredible in terms of his energy and his leadership."

Cornell moved one giant step closer to its second straight Ivy League championship. With a win tonight at Harvard (12-13, 4-7), the Big Red can clinch at least a share of the title with the opportunity to win it outright against Penn on March 6 at Newman Arena.

Because Princeton (11-12, 6-4) and Yale (12-13, 7-4) both won Friday night, and play each other tonight at Jadwin Gymnasium, Cornell (19-8, 9-2) can't lock down the league's NCAA automatic berth until next weekend at the earliest. Harvard beat Columbia (11-14, 6-5) on Friday, all but eliminating the Lions from contention.

Ryan Wittman continued his torrid shooting of late, scoring 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 marksmanship from behind the arc. Louis Dale finished with 14 points, and Chris Wroblewski and Jeff Foote each added 11.

Donahue credited three of his seniors, Gore, Jason Battle and Brian Kreefer — each of whom saw extended minutes — for making important contributions.

"After that Yale (loss last weekend), I thought they were guys that needed to be out there, and they needed to be apart of finishing their careers the right way," Donahue said.

Cornell led 37-34 early in the second half when Gore set up Wroblewski's 3-pointer. On the next possession Gore drained a long trey from the right wing, forcing Dartmouth into a momentum timeout. It didn't work, because a Foote offensive rebound set up Gore again, and his aim was true.

Dartmouth clawed back to within eight, but two 3's from Wittman and another from Wroblewski broke the Big Green's spirit with just under 10 minutes to play.

On the night, Cornell shot a sizzling 57.9 percent (11 for 19) from beyond the arc. They outrebounded Dartmouth, 34-30, and defended Alex Barnett well enough that the 6-6 senior finished with 19 points, an average night by his standards.

Dartmouth was coming off a historic road sweep of Penn and Princeton, but couldn't extend its streak of wins.

"The last weekend Dartmouth played as good as anyone I've seen play at Penn and Princeton," Donahue said. "Terry Dunn has done a terrific job. ... I'm thrilled we were able to win this basketball game on their home court."

Notes: In other Ivy men's action, Princeton beat Brown, 56-48; Harvard beat Columbia, 72-63; and Penn fell to 0-5 in the league at the Palestra with an 87-79 loss to Yale.

Scouting Harvard

(not including Friday's games)

Coach: Tommy Amaker (2nd season)

Record: 11-13, 3-7 Ivy League

Last time out: Harvard won at the Palestra for the first time since 1991, getting 22 points from senior Drew Housman in a 66-60 victory on Feb. 21.

Last time vs. Cornell: Cornell set a new record for assists in a game with 31, and freshman Chris Wroblewski established career-highs of 17 points and seven assists in the Big Red's 96-75 victory on Feb. 13 in Ithaca.

Probable starters: Evan Harris (6-8, 230, Sr., F), Keith Wright (6-8, 240, Fr., F), Jeremy Lin (6-3, 200, Jr., F), Drew Housman (6-0, 185, Sr., G), Andrew Pusar (6-2, 200, Sr., G).

Statistically: Lin leads the Crimson in scoring at 18.1 points per game, and ranks 10th in rebounding (5.3), first in steals (2.6) and second in assists (4.3) in the league. ... Harvard is 0-4 in the first of back-to-back games, and 2-2 in the second of back-to-back games. ... Harvard is 1-8 when its opponent scores 70 or more points.

Outlook: The Crimson were overwhelmed by Cornell's massive height advantage two weeks ago in Ithaca, as the Big Red passed through, around and over its counterpart in a 21-point win.

Harvard's been a much better team at home, and was the team that came closest to handing Cornell an Ivy League loss last year. The Big Red needed six points in the final 30 seconds from Alex Tyler to win by a point.

That said, Harvard is hands down the league's worst defensive team, and unless Amaker's young kids catch lightning in the bottle, Cornell should be able to outscore them in a repeat of that Feb. 13 game.

With two wins this weekend, Cornell would capture at least a share of its second straight Ivy League title.

Cornell Athletics Recap of Cornell's Win at Dartmouth

Men's Hoops Runs Past Dartmouth, 75-57
CornellBigRed.com

Box Score

HANOVER, N.H. -- In a matchup between two of the leading contenders for Ivy League Player of the Year, Ryan Wittman's cool efficiency topped Alex Barnett's explosive play as Cornell topped Dartmouth 75-57, moving the Big Red within one win of clinching its second straight Ivy League title. Cornell improved to 19-8 (9-2 Ivy), while the Big Green fell to 8-17 (6-5 Ivy) with the loss.

Wittman scored 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range, and added six rebounds to lead four players in double figures. Louis Dale added 14 points and five rebounds, while both Jeff Foote and Chris Wroblewski chipped in with 11 points. Wroblewski added two rebounds, two assists and two steals without a turnover, while Foote grabbed six rebounds and dished off three assists. The visitors shot 50 percent from the floor and made 11-of-19 from 3-point range in the victory. The Cornell defense also limited Dartmouth to 35 percent shooting, including 5-of-19 from beyond the arc.

The Big Green got 19 points and nine rebounds from Alex Barnett, while Ronnie Dixon chipped in 12 points off the bench. Dartmouth was outrebounded 35-31 and had 19 points off Cornell's 11 turnovers. David Rufful had eight points, but was just 2-of-8 from the field.

Dartmouth jumped out to a quick 8-2 lead as Barnett scored the Big Green's first six points to force a Big Red timeout. The Big Red quickly got right back in the game with five quick points and eventually took the lead at 14-13 on a Kreefer putback of an Adam Gore miss with 10:19 left. Barnett continued his hot streak by hitting a 3-pointer on the other end, but Wittman quickly responded with a 15-footer to knot the score at 16-16.

The Big Red started to pull away thanks to its defense, limiting the Big Green to just one field goal, a desperation 3-pointer at the end of the shot clock by David Rufful, over a 6:54 span late in the first half, turning the game from a 16-14 deficit to a 27-16 advantage. The basket was the only made shot in seven first half attempts for the reigning Ivy league Rookie of the Week. Wittman had seven poitns during the run, while Foote had both of his baskets. The lead grew to 10 (33-23) before Robbie Pride's 15-footer with 32 seconds left sent the home team into the break trailing 33-25.

Cornell shot 48 percent from the floor after a slow start and turned the ball over just four times while dishing off eight assists. Dartmouth held a 19-15 advantage on the boards led by a game-high seven rebounds by Barnett, who added 11 points, two assists a blocked shot and a steal in the first 20 minutes.The Big Red defense limited Dartmouth to 35 percent shooting (10-of-29), including 3-of-13 from beyond the arc.

Dartmouth was able to close the gap to three early in the second half at 37-34 on a layup by Elgin Fitzgerald, but the Big Green's 9-4 run to open the second 20 minutes was answered by a flurry on Big Red 3-pointers. Wroblewski knocked down an open trey on a feed from Adam Gore, then Gore drained consecutive 3-pointers to push the lead to 12. Wittman then connected on treys on consecutive possessions, followed by Wroblewski nailed a triple, giving the road team six straight 3-pointers in the span of 5:10 to essentially seal the game. Gore's 3-pointers, in particular, quieted a crowd of 1,572 partisans who had all the momentum with 15 minutes left in regulation.

With both Yale and Princeton winning their Friday evening games, Cornell can't clinch the league's automatic bid on Saturday regardless of its result. A win over Harvard, a 72-63 victor over Columbia on Friday, would give the Big Red at least a share of the Ancient Eight crown.

The Big Red returns to action tomorrow [Saturday] when it faces Harvard at 7 p.m. at Lavietes Pavilion.

Cornell Athletics Recap of Cornell's Win at Dartmouth

Men's Hoops Runs Past Dartmouth, 75-57
CornellBigRed.com

Box Score

HANOVER, N.H. -- In a matchup between two of the leading contenders for Ivy League Player of the Year, Ryan Wittman's cool efficiency topped Alex Barnett's explosive play as Cornell topped Dartmouth 75-57, moving the Big Red within one win of clinching its second straight Ivy League title. Cornell improved to 19-8 (9-2 Ivy), while the Big Green fell to 8-17 (6-5 Ivy) with the loss.

Wittman scored 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range, and added six rebounds to lead four players in double figures. Louis Dale added 14 points and five rebounds, while both Jeff Foote and Chris Wroblewski chipped in with 11 points. Wroblewski added two rebounds, two assists and two steals without a turnover, while Foote grabbed six rebounds and dished off three assists. The visitors shot 50 percent from the floor and made 11-of-19 from 3-point range in the victory. The Cornell defense also limited Dartmouth to 35 percent shooting, including 5-of-19 from beyond the arc.

The Big Green got 19 points and nine rebounds from Alex Barnett, while Ronnie Dixon chipped in 12 points off the bench. Dartmouth was outrebounded 35-31 and had 19 points off Cornell's 11 turnovers. David Rufful had eight points, but was just 2-of-8 from the field.

Dartmouth jumped out to a quick 8-2 lead as Barnett scored the Big Green's first six points to force a Big Red timeout. The Big Red quickly got right back in the game with five quick points and eventually took the lead at 14-13 on a Kreefer putback of an Adam Gore miss with 10:19 left. Barnett continued his hot streak by hitting a 3-pointer on the other end, but Wittman quickly responded with a 15-footer to knot the score at 16-16.

The Big Red started to pull away thanks to its defense, limiting the Big Green to just one field goal, a desperation 3-pointer at the end of the shot clock by David Rufful, over a 6:54 span late in the first half, turning the game from a 16-14 deficit to a 27-16 advantage. The basket was the only made shot in seven first half attempts for the reigning Ivy league Rookie of the Week. Wittman had seven poitns during the run, while Foote had both of his baskets. The lead grew to 10 (33-23) before Robbie Pride's 15-footer with 32 seconds left sent the home team into the break trailing 33-25.

Cornell shot 48 percent from the floor after a slow start and turned the ball over just four times while dishing off eight assists. Dartmouth held a 19-15 advantage on the boards led by a game-high seven rebounds by Barnett, who added 11 points, two assists a blocked shot and a steal in the first 20 minutes.The Big Red defense limited Dartmouth to 35 percent shooting (10-of-29), including 3-of-13 from beyond the arc.

Dartmouth was able to close the gap to three early in the second half at 37-34 on a layup by Elgin Fitzgerald, but the Big Green's 9-4 run to open the second 20 minutes was answered by a flurry on Big Red 3-pointers. Wroblewski knocked down an open trey on a feed from Adam Gore, then Gore drained consecutive 3-pointers to push the lead to 12. Wittman then connected on treys on consecutive possessions, followed by Wroblewski nailed a triple, giving the road team six straight 3-pointers in the span of 5:10 to essentially seal the game. Gore's 3-pointers, in particular, quieted a crowd of 1,572 partisans who had all the momentum with 15 minutes left in regulation.

With both Yale and Princeton winning their Friday evening games, Cornell can't clinch the league's automatic bid on Saturday regardless of its result. A win over Harvard, a 72-63 victor over Columbia on Friday, would give the Big Red at least a share of the Ancient Eight crown.

The Big Red returns to action tomorrow [Saturday] when it faces Harvard at 7 p.m. at Lavietes Pavilion.

Dartmouth Athletics Recap of Big Red Victory in Hanover

Three-Point Barrage Sends Dartmouth to Defeat Against Cornell, 75-57
DartmouthSports.com

Boxscore

HANOVER, N.H. — Dartmouth got 19 points and nine rebounds from senior star forward Alex Barnett (St. Louis, Mo.), but Cornell launched a barrage of three-pointers in the second half to pick up a 75-57 victory on the road at Leede Arena on Friday evening. Ryan Wittman had 20 points and hit 4-of-5 behind the arc to lead the Big Red (19-8, 9-2 Ivy) to help put some space between them and the rest of the Ivy League. The loss dropped Dartmouth (8-17, 6-5 Ivy) from a tie for second into a tie for fourth in the league standings. Joining Wittman in double figures were Louis Dale with 14, and Jeff Foote and Chris Wroblewski with 11 apiece. Wroblewski was about as deadly from deep as Wittman with a trio of triples in five attempts. For the fourth time this year, Barnett finished one rebound shy of a double-double. On a night when he was honored for becoming the 25th Big Green player to score 1,000 points in his career, Barnett was 7-of-15 shooting the ball while handing out four of the team’s six assists. His 19 points bring his career total to 1,321, moving him into ninth all-time on the Dartmouth scoring charts.

Sophomore Ronnie Dixon (Danville, Ill.) was the only other Dartmouth player to score in double figures with 12 points, while sophomore Clive Weeden (Stow, Mass.) snared a career-high eight rebounds on the boards. Cornell enjoyed an eight-point lead at the half, 33-25, but the Big Green cut that deficit down to three a little more than five minutes into the final period. But a Wroblewski three-pointer was followed by a two Adam Gore triples to quickly boost the advantage to 12. Free throws from Barnett and freshman David Rufful (Warwick, R.I.) got Dartmouth back within single digits, but Wittman responded with back-to-back trifectas. After Rufful shot back with his own three-pointer, Wroblewski drilled another from downtown for a 55-41 advantage. All told, Cornell drained six three-pointers for 18 points in a span of barely five minutes, and the Big Green never got closer than 12 the rest of the way. The Big Red not only shot an even 50 percent from the floor (26-of-52), but a sizzling 57.9 percent (11-of-19) from long range. Seven of those threes came in the decisive second half. Meanwhile, Dartmouth could not find its shooting touch, going just 18-of-52 (.346) overall and 5-19 (.263) behind the arc. At the free throw line, the Big Green right around their season average at 64 percent (16-of-25). Rebounding was a Big Green strength in the first half with a 19-15 edge. But Cornell hit the boards hard in the second half with 20 to Dartmouth’s 12 for an overall advantage of 35-31 on the boards. Dartmouth led early in the game, jumping out to a six-point lead at 13-7 following a three-pointer from Dixon. The Big Red scored the next seven points to take a lead, but Barnett drilled a trey for the last lead of the night for the Big Green. Runs of 9-2 and 8-0 in the opening stanza allowed Cornell to open up the eight-point lead at the half. Dartmouth will honor the 1958-59 team on the 50th anniversary of its Ivy League crown as it tries to avenge its loss at Columbia two weeks ago when the Big Green host the Lions tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. Cornell tips off tomorrow night as well at Harvard at 7 p.m.

Dartmouth Athletics Recap of Big Red Victory in Hanover

Three-Point Barrage Sends Dartmouth to Defeat Against Cornell, 75-57
DartmouthSports.com

Boxscore

HANOVER, N.H. — Dartmouth got 19 points and nine rebounds from senior star forward Alex Barnett (St. Louis, Mo.), but Cornell launched a barrage of three-pointers in the second half to pick up a 75-57 victory on the road at Leede Arena on Friday evening. Ryan Wittman had 20 points and hit 4-of-5 behind the arc to lead the Big Red (19-8, 9-2 Ivy) to help put some space between them and the rest of the Ivy League. The loss dropped Dartmouth (8-17, 6-5 Ivy) from a tie for second into a tie for fourth in the league standings. Joining Wittman in double figures were Louis Dale with 14, and Jeff Foote and Chris Wroblewski with 11 apiece. Wroblewski was about as deadly from deep as Wittman with a trio of triples in five attempts. For the fourth time this year, Barnett finished one rebound shy of a double-double. On a night when he was honored for becoming the 25th Big Green player to score 1,000 points in his career, Barnett was 7-of-15 shooting the ball while handing out four of the team’s six assists. His 19 points bring his career total to 1,321, moving him into ninth all-time on the Dartmouth scoring charts.

Sophomore Ronnie Dixon (Danville, Ill.) was the only other Dartmouth player to score in double figures with 12 points, while sophomore Clive Weeden (Stow, Mass.) snared a career-high eight rebounds on the boards. Cornell enjoyed an eight-point lead at the half, 33-25, but the Big Green cut that deficit down to three a little more than five minutes into the final period. But a Wroblewski three-pointer was followed by a two Adam Gore triples to quickly boost the advantage to 12. Free throws from Barnett and freshman David Rufful (Warwick, R.I.) got Dartmouth back within single digits, but Wittman responded with back-to-back trifectas. After Rufful shot back with his own three-pointer, Wroblewski drilled another from downtown for a 55-41 advantage. All told, Cornell drained six three-pointers for 18 points in a span of barely five minutes, and the Big Green never got closer than 12 the rest of the way. The Big Red not only shot an even 50 percent from the floor (26-of-52), but a sizzling 57.9 percent (11-of-19) from long range. Seven of those threes came in the decisive second half. Meanwhile, Dartmouth could not find its shooting touch, going just 18-of-52 (.346) overall and 5-19 (.263) behind the arc. At the free throw line, the Big Green right around their season average at 64 percent (16-of-25). Rebounding was a Big Green strength in the first half with a 19-15 edge. But Cornell hit the boards hard in the second half with 20 to Dartmouth’s 12 for an overall advantage of 35-31 on the boards. Dartmouth led early in the game, jumping out to a six-point lead at 13-7 following a three-pointer from Dixon. The Big Red scored the next seven points to take a lead, but Barnett drilled a trey for the last lead of the night for the Big Green. Runs of 9-2 and 8-0 in the opening stanza allowed Cornell to open up the eight-point lead at the half. Dartmouth will honor the 1958-59 team on the 50th anniversary of its Ivy League crown as it tries to avenge its loss at Columbia two weeks ago when the Big Green host the Lions tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. Cornell tips off tomorrow night as well at Harvard at 7 p.m.