As practice begins, Cornell hoping to make national impact

Seven-foot center Jeff Foote, a Spencer-Van Etten grad, helped Cornell to its second straight Ivy League men’s basketball championship last season.

As practice begins, Cornell hoping to make national impact

By Brian Delaney

Ithaca Journal
October 17, 2009

ITHACA -- A non-league schedule littered with BCS Conference opponents and high-profile venues has sent ripples of excitement through the Cornell men's basketball program.

More than one opportunity awaits for the Big Red to prove itself on a national scale.

A roster loaded with depth and talent at every position convened at Ithaca College's Ben Light Gymnasium on Friday afternoon for the first practice of the 2009-10 season. The two-time defending Ivy League champions are considered a heavy favorite to repeat.

The non-league schedule begins with a road game at Alabama on Nov. 14, and continues with road trips to Massachusetts and Syracuse sandwiched around a Nov. 20 home date with Seton Hall of the Big East Conference.

Cornell plays two games at Madison Square Garden in December, and will visit preseason No. 1 Kansas on Jan. 6.

And the Big Red feels it can win anywhere.

"I think that'll obviously make us better, the way we begin here, practicing and working hard, we want to play all those great teams," senior tri-captain Alex Tyler said. "We want that competition, and we need that, because we feel we can beat anyone on our schedule-- absolutely anyone."

Cornell's conversation starts with its Big Three-- 6-foot-7 small forward and two-time all-Ivy first teamer Ryan Wittman, point guard and 2007-08 Ivy League Player of the Year Louis Dale, and reigning Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year and 7-0 center Jeff Foote.

Foote, also a captain, packed about 20 pounds of muscle onto his lanky frame, and is now listed at 265 pounds. Foote averaged 11.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and more than two blocks last year.

"You can't just push him around like you used to," Tyler said. "Even last year he got a lot better, but the difference between last year and this year is amazing."

Cornell has eight of its top 10 scorers returning from a 21-10 season a year ago, and a couple of impact transfers have been added-- 6-4 junior scoring guard Max Groebe (UMass) and 6-9 senior power forward Mark Coury (Kentucky). Groebe has three years of playing eligibility remaining and Coury has two.

With an incoming class of six set to replace the 2010 graduating class of seven, coach Steve Donahue's roster has ballooned to 20 players. The depth raised competition in preseason pick-up games to new levels.

"They've been tough (games) too," senior tri-captain Jon Jaques said. "The toughest part has been getting everyone time to play, with so many people on the team. It's been really competitive when people have gotten on the court. ... everyone knows minutes are going to be hard to find this year."

Talk within the team often turns to the schedule, said Jaques, who said the team's toughest games are Ivy League road games.

But he's got one specific game circled in his own mind.

"I'm really looking forward to Syracuse," he said. "We had them last year, and I know we all know we can compete with them now. The first year at Syracuse, we were a little gunshy, a little timid. Last year was a really good game, especially the first half, and this year we have a really good chance to get them."