Below, game recaps from Cornell's exciting 104-98 OT win on the road at Bucknell. Cornell played the game without starting power forward, Alex Tyler. (For Box Score, click here). Above, Cornell freshman Errick Peck had a memorable performance at Bucknell. We will comntinually update this post as new game recaps are published by various media sources.
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Louis Dale took over in overtime after Jeff Foote and Ryan Wittman dominated for the first 40 minutes as Cornell survived a 104-98 overtime thriller at Bucknell on Wednesday evening at Sojka Pavilion. The Big Red found yet another way to win in extending its win streak to four games, improving to 6-2 with a track meet performance, breaking the 100-point barrier for the first time in 17 seasons. THe Bison slipped to 4-4 with the loss.
Cornell exploded for 19 points in the five-minute extra period session, ending the back-and-forth contest after the Bison sent the game into overtime with a last-second bomb that sent the partisan Bucknell crowd into a frenzy.
Foote totalled career highs of 28 points and 18 rebounds and added three blocked shots, making 9-of-14 form the floor and 10-of-12 from the free-throw line. Wittman scored 25 of his own, including making 8-of-13 shots from the floor and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Dale was big in overtime, hitting the go-ahead 3-pointer and finding Foote underneath on consecutive possesions, and also completing a conventional three-point play after watching a six-point lead sliced to three. He ended the night with 12 points, seven assists and just two turnovers in the victory. Freshman Errick Peck had the best game of his young career, posting 13 points, three rebounds and two blocks, and Chris Wroblewski notched 10 points to round out the five double figure scorers. Cornell shot 57 percent from the floor and 60 percent from beyond the arc (6-of-10). Cornell outrebounded the Bison 36-29 and played crisp offense, turning the ball over 11 times and making all three shots in regulation and 14-of-15 from the free-throw line in the extra period.
Darryl Shazier scored 22 points and had eight assists for the Bison, whole Mike Muscala had 20 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots off the bench. Bryan Cohen chipped in 16 points, Bryson Johnson had 12 and Stephen Tyree had 11 to round out BUcknell's five double figure scorers. The Bison hit on 53 percent of its shots and 11-of-21 from 3-point range (52 percent).
Foote dominated the first 20 minutes for the Big Red, hitting 6-of-8 shots from the field for a total of 14 points and adding 10 rebounds for a first half double-double. The senior added two blocked shots in his 16 minutes of action. The Big Red offense shot 63 percent in the first half to take a 45-36 advantage into the break. Foote was assisted by Peck, who hit for a career-high 10 points and grabbed a pair of offensive rebounds in just seven minutes of action. Included was a highlight reel tomahawk dunk, plus the foul, midway through the half that made the bench leap off their seats. Eight different Cornell players scored in the half.
For the second straight game, Cornell got of to a quick start, jumping out to an 10-1 lead behind an active Foote, who scored three baskets in the first four minutes, and two pretty assists by Wire. Bucknell freshman Mike Muscala hit two straight baskets for the Bison, the second a 3-pointer, cut the deficit to 12-6 by the first break in action. A 3-pointer by Chris Wroblewski off a great crosscourt pass from Wittman made it a nine-point game, and a pass from Peck to Mark Coury on the break pushed the edge to double figures at 17-6 with 14 minutes left in the half.
Peck dunked off a feed from Wroblewski over a Bucknell defender on the left baseline and was fouled, converting the three-point play to make it 20-8 at the 13:17 mark. The Big Red hit on 12 of its first 16 field goals, but the Bison continued to hang around. Bucknell scored consecutive baskets, the second on a Muscala putback to get back within 26-19. The lead was nine (45-36) when the two teams hit the locker room.
The Big Red steadily kept the lead between seven and 11 points for the rest of the half, with the home team staying in the game by getting into the lane and finishing. Cohen had eight points, while Muscala hit 4-of-5 shots for nine points. The Big Red didnt rely on the 3-point shot, attempting just two and making one in the first 20 minutes.Bucknell cut the Cornell lead to seven (51-44) on a driving basket by Stephen Tyree four minutes into the second half, but after it got down to four (54-50),
Jaques and Wittman answered with back-to-back 3-pointers to push it right back to 10. First, the senior tri-captain buried a shot from the corner on a feed from Dale to quiet the crowd, then after a Bucknell turnover, Wittman buried his first triple of the game, a dagger from five feet behind the line, eliciting a groan from those in attendance.
The Bison answered emphatically, going on an 11-0 run to take its first lead of the game on a Tyree trey with 9:21 left. Cornell retook it on its next possession, as Wroblewski found a cutting Wire all alone for a basket to go back up 62-61. After the Bison went back up momentarily, Wittman calmly came off a screen and buried a 3-pointer to go back up 65-63 with eight to play.
The lead went back and forth, with the Bison going up two on a 3-pointer by the freshman Johnson. Cornell tied it on a pair of free throws by Foote and went back ahead 73-71 with 3:30 to play when Dale hit a floater in the lane, a score that held up going into the final media timeout. A nice look from Wroblewski to Peck made it a four-point advantage, but Muscala broke free underneath for a layup to get back within two.
Bucknell went on a 5-0 run to sneak a 76-75 lead with under a minute to play, but as he has done time and time again, Wittman got open in the corner and hit another big shot. The 3-pointer made it 78-76, and then he made the play on the other end. Cohen faked a defender and headed to an open basket, but the senior had enough to left in him to block the shot and knock it off a Bison player to give the visitors the ball and a two-point lead (78-76) with 30 ticks left on the clock.
After breaking the press easily, Cornell's Dale headed to the line for a 1-and-1 with 22 seconds left. The senior hit all of the back and front of the rim in cashing in the first and the second was true to go up 80-76. Tyree took the ball to the other end and had an acrobatic finish over foot and was fouled. He missed the effort and Wittman rebounded with 12.9. He walked to the other end and buried both to push it back to four. Shazier took the ball end-to-end and hit a layup with six seconds left to make it 82-80 as the defense backed off to prevent a foul and a three-point play opportunity. The Big Red inbounded to Wroblewski, who was fouled immediately. The sophomore made the first and missed the second, and Shazier pulled up from 30 feet on the other end to drain a trey, sending it to overtime.
After trading points to open the extra session, Dale stepped off a screen and nailed a 3-pointer. Wire stole a pass on the other end and Foote was fouled going up for a dunk when Dale fed him underneath. The seven-footer hit both shots to make it a 90-85 Cornell lead. From there, Cornell hit 12-of-13 fre throws to continuously hold off a Bison team that wouldn't go away.
The Big Red will close out the fall semester when it faces Saint Joseph's on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. at Newman Arena in Bartels Hall. Cornell lost last year's meeting 71-67 at the Palestra.
Around the Rim Blog-Ithaca Journal
December 2, 2009
To recap, Cornell was up by 7-12 points for the first 28 minutes tonight, Bucknell got back in it with an 11-0 run, the two teams traded the lead, and Darryl Shazier sent the game into OT with a 30-foot 3-pointer. Then, Louis Dale transformed into an MVP and dominated overtime in a 104-98 Cornell win. Jeff Foote goes for 28 points, 18 rebounds and 3 blocks in 38 minutes. Ryan Wittman scores 25, 19 after the half.
Breaking down the game quickly before hitting the sack, while the images are still fresh:
The bad: 1.) Cornell's defense was subpar. The defensive rotations were at times shockingly bad, and for the second straight game the opposing guards were able to penetrate and create. 2.) Lots of fouls in the first half, too, which didn't help. In the post-game, Donahue said it's difficult to improve defensively when you play four games in six days. Tough to argue that point. The team had off on Monday, so Tuesday's practice was it. In the last 10 minutes, Bucknell had a lot of great looks at the rim. Cornell was losing BU's shooters at every turn. Also important to note that, over the last 2.5 years, Cornell has never been a "great" defensive team in the first semester. The two weeks off for finals usually makes a big difference in the 'D' department.
The good: 1.) Cornell's composure. I mean, seriously? They blow a 12-point lead, home team nails dramatic shot at the buzzer to force overtime, owns all the momentum, and then they turn around and dominate OT like nothing happened. Very, very impressive.
2.) Foote. Remember those games in the Ivy last year when Foote would go 3-for-8 from the floor, like 4 of 7 from the line with like 5-6 boards? That was a different player. Teams were willing to sacrifice a good night from the big fella (15 pts, 8 reb., for instance) in return for not double-teaming him. That may have to change. Donahue got after him Tuesday in practice to attack the basket more, and he was great. He also scored at least three times on a post move to his left, which hasn't been his forte. Also, 10 of 12 from the stripe was important.
3.) Wittman. He was so, so good down the stretch of regulation. Not only does he hit a 3 from the corner to make it 78-76 with 49.7 seconds left, but then he blocks Bryan Cohen's shot at the other end. Then he gets a timely rebound off a missed BU free throw and hits a pair at the line. He is absolutely the most intelligent basketball player I've ever watched. His second half is an example of why he's the best player in the Ivy.
4.) Bucknell. Give credit where it's due. In his second season, Dave Paulsen has vastly improved the Bison. Gotta love his freshmen class with Bryson Johnson (a guy Cornell wanted) and big man Mike Muscala (20 pts). Muscala really seemed to surprise Cornell. He hit a 3 early that Foote was slow to react to, and he was strong on the glass. I believe he was 9 for 11 all-told. Plus, Stephen Tyree missed last year with a knee injury, and he's a great glue guy to have. Does a little of everything, and is tough as nails.
And consider: Holy Cross was picked to win the Patriot League this year. They've lost to Harvard and struggled at Brown, so it would appear there's no team head and shoulders above the rest. There's no reason for Bucknell to think it can't win three straight PL conference tournament games in March and sneak in the NCAAs.
5.) Errick Peck. The freshman's learning curve has been steep. When he's struggled, he's really struggled (in Philly quite a bit: he was 0-for-10 in 3 games with 2 turnovers and zero points), but his high ceiling was on display tonight. 13 points, 10 in the first half, and more important his decision-making was better. He didn't force any shots, and he picked the right times to attack the basket or pull-up and locate a senior in a key moment. His dunk was a wake-up call, too. Still has a long way to go defensively, but his upside is undeniable. I like how Foote has become sort of a mentor to Peck. Foote often was the first one to get in Peck's ear tonight with an attaboy, pat on the back or shake-it-off. Peck said after the Syracuse game that Foote helped him overcome some early homesickness.
I'll be back doing a live-blog on Sunday for St. Joe's, which is a 2 p.m. tip at Newman Arena. That'll be a good one. Never underestimate a Phil Martelli team - great coach.
G'Nite.
By Brian Delaney
Ithaca Journal
December 3, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Even with arguably its most talented team, Cornell needed a Herculean effort to get a win at Bucknell's Sojka Pavilion.
Louis Dale put the Big Red in front for good with a long 3-pointer with 3:15 left in overtime, and Cornell knocked down 14 of 15 free throws in the extra session to down the Bison, 104-98, on Wednesday night.
Cornell improved to 6-2 on the season, and cracked the 100-point plateau for the first time in 17 years.
Bucknell guard Daryl Shazier hit a 30-foot 3-pointer at the second-half buzzer to force the extra session. Chris Wroblewski's missed free throw set up Shazier's dramatic shot.
Cornell received the best performance to date from 7-foot senior center Jeff Foote, who recorded collegiate highs of 28 points and 18 rebounds, knocking down 10 of 12 free throws. Ryan Wittman scored 19 of his 25 points after halftime, and the Big Red shot 55.7 percent from the field overall.
Bucknell shot 52.9 percent and hit 11 of 21 shots from beyond the arc.
In a wild final minute, Wittman hit a 3-pointer with 49.7 seconds left to give Cornell a 78-76 lead. He then blocked Bryan Cohen's game-tying layup, forcing Bucknell into a must-foul situation. Louis Dale's two free throws made it 80-76.
Bucknell answered Cornell free throws with consecutive buckets, including Bryson Johnson's layup with 6 seconds left that made it 82-80.
Cornell is now 9-126 when it enters the final minute of regulation trailing. The win was Steve Donahue's first in Lewisburg, and second straight over the Bison (4-4).
Cornell led comfortably for the first 28 minutes, including a 60-50 cushion with about 12 minutes remaining.
But an 11-0 run vaulted the hosts to their first lead, 61-60, with 9:25 left. A three-point play by 6-foot-10 freshman Mike Muscala, who scored 20 points, followed by a Stephen Tyree 3-pointer, brought the Sojka crowd its feet.
From there, the teams traded leads 11 times down the stretch.
The first half was all Cornell.
Foote, whose previous collegiate high was 25 points against La Salle last season, got Cornell off to a quick start with six points and four rebounds by the first media timeout. The Big Red's bench then joined the act, with freshman Errick Peck flushing a monster two-handed dunk on Bucknell forward Enoch Andoh. Peck sank the ensuing free throw, then hit a jumper in the lane on Cornell's next possession for a 22-11 lead.Cornell, with a well-established reputation of marksmanship from the perimeter, attempted only two -- count them, two -- long balls in the opening 20 minutes. Instead, the Big Red scored 28 of its first 34 points in the paint, and finished the half with 32 points in the interior. Consequently, Cornell shot a blistering 62.5 percent (20-for-32).
Peck finished with a collegiate best 13 points. Dale added 12 points and seven assists, and Wroblewski scored 10 points.
Cornell completes its first-semester schedule with a 2 p.m. home game Sunday against Saint Joseph's (Pa.). The Hawks beat Cornell at Penn's Palestra last year, 71-67, and enter the weekend losers of three straight to quality programs -- No. 4 Purdue, DePaul and Rider. They own a win over Boston College.
Notes: Cornell has won two straight games against the Bison after losing five straight. The all-time series is now 23-22 in favor of Cornell. ... Cornell junior Adam Wire started his second straight game in place of Alex Tyler, who remains out with an upper calf injury. ... Wire, Wittman, Dale and Max Groebe each picked up two first-half fouls. Groebe returned after missing two games with the flu.
By Rahul Kishore and Jasmine Marcus
Cornell Daily Sun
December 3, 2009
There are nailbiters, there are edge-of-your-seat moments, but if you happened to be in Lewisburg, PA, last night you would have gotten that and more. In a battle of the “-nells,” Cornell basketball posted one of its most memorable wins in its history, defeating the Bison of Bucknell, 104-98. This was the first ever victory at Bucknell for the Red during head coach Steve Donahue’s tenure, breaking a long streak of tough losses in the fields of Pennsylvania. The Red’s 100-point performance was marked by stellar play on offense, but was often matched by the Bison. Senior Jeff Foote had a record-breaking night, putting up a career high 28 points, three more than his previous number.
In a matchup of two very closely matched teams, the Red capitalized on offense against a team known for its defense. During one heated moment, Donahue was given a technical foul for arguing with the referees. In its previous seven games, the Bison held their opponents to less than 70 points with less than 40 percent from the field and 33 percent from beyond the arc. The Red found a hole, and picked up 45 points and shot 62.5 percent from the field, stunning the crowd at Sojka Pavillion in the first half. Foote provided 14 points before the intermission, equaling his average points per game so far this season. Foote also provided 10 rebounds and two blocks for the Red, which limited the Bison to 50 percent from the field and 36 points.
“I expect those kind of games from myself and it was nice to break out a little,” Foote said. “My team did a great job all around of getting me the ball and we worked hard to come out with a win.”
The Red’s first half performance was heavily reliant on offensive performance from the bench. In addition to Foote’s stellar performance last night, freshman Errick Peck had a break-out performance, posting 13 points for the Red.
“We had advantages in certain areas, and we worked to exploit those advantages,” Foote said. “Bucknell did a good job on Dale and Wittman in the first half, but other guys like Peck, [Wroblewski] and myself were able to step in and fill that hole.”
With Senior Alex Tyler still out with a calf injury, Seniors Mark Coury and Jon Jaques stepped up once again. As Jaques made a critical 3 towards the end of the first half, it was New York Times blogger against blogger since both Jaques and Bucknell’s Patrick Behan contribute to the Quad Blog.
But after an impressive nine-point lead at the half, the Red was not able to hold off a stampeding herd of Bison in the second half. Bucknell was able to close the gap with top performances from Mike Muscala who posted 11 of Bucknell’s 47 points in the second half. The Bison was especially effective at creating points out of turnovers in the second half, picking up 10 off five turnovers.
“We let our guard down on the defensive end, and really didn’t execute our game plan,” Wroblewski said. “We let them get way too many open looks and free lanes to the basket.”
The Red’s lapse in the second half allowed Bucknell to level the game with only seconds to spare. Though senior Ryan Wittman was able to post 15 points in the second half, the Red ran into a wall offensively after coming out of the locker room. Bucknell’s defensive unit turned up the heat and held the Red to 44.4 percent from the field.
With the game tied, the two teams entered overtime tired. Bucknell had found a second wind and was looking to continue working the Red on the offensive end of the parque.
“When the game went into overtime, we kind of gathered together and said lets just play five more minutes of great basketball and take it one possession at a time,” Wittman said. “We have a lot of seniors and a lot of experience on this team and we’ve been through these situations before which helps.”
Thanks to several successful free throws by Foote, Wroblewski and Wittman, the Red was finally able to gain and stick to a lead.
“I think keeping our poise overall was huge, especially towards the end of the game and overtime,” Wittman said, adding, “We do work on free throws every practice which definitely helps.”
Last night’s road win caps a four straight wins on the road for the Red as it returns to Newman Arena. The Red will host a tough St. Joseph squad on Sunday.
Due to a no-phone policy on the team’s bus, the players interview in the article were interview via the Internet.
College men's basketball: Cornell defeats Bucknell in overtime
The Daily Item
December 3, 2009
LEWISBURG -- If Cornell, an NCAA tournament qualifier a year ago, is favored to make it back there again, then the Bucknell men are certainly heading in the right direction. The Big Red, with all five of their starters back from last year's Ivy League championship team, got pushed to the brink and then some at Sojka Pavilion on Wednesday night before escaping with a record-setting 104-98 overtime victory over the Bison. Bucknell's Darryl Shazier hit a 30-footer at the buzzer to force the extra session, but the experienced Big Red kept their cool in overtime in the highest-scoring game in Pavilion history. Cornell (6-2), which has won at Alabama, at UMass and at Drexel already this year, needed every one of its Sojka record 104 points to prevail. "That was a terrific basketball team," said Bucknell coach Dave Paulsen. "That's the best offense I've seen in my two years here." And yet the Bison (4-4) gave them everything they could handle, even after getting jumped on early. Cornell scored 10 of the game's first 11 points and led by as many as a dozen midway through the first half. Despite a monster night from seven-footer Jeff Foote -- including 28 points and a Pavilion record 18 boards -- the Bison stayed within striking distance thanks to its scrappy freshmen. "That was a wild game," said Cornell coach Steve Donahue. "Bucknell played a terrific basketball game and focused on the things it took to beat us. We never really stopped them." Mike Muscala and Bryson Johnson came off the bench to ignite the BU offense, and Southern Columbia product Colin Klebon saw his most significant action of the season after getting the nod to slow Foote. It all added up to a gutsy effort for the Bison, who got a career-high 20 points from Muscala, 22 more from Shazier, and put five players in double figures. For a while, however, it looked like the Bison would never get back to even. After falling behind early, Bucknell crept to within seven a number of times before inching closer in the final 12 minutes. Down 10, Shazier hit a 3-pointer to jumpstart an 11-0 Bucknell run that gave the Bison their first lead. Muscala slammed home a miss and then converted a three-point play before Stephen Tyree's corner trey gave Bucknell a 61-60 lead, its first lead of the game, with 9:24 left. From that point on it was a slugfest. The lead changed hands 10 times over the final nine minutes. The Big Red had a chance to ice it in the final minute when Chris Wroblewski, a 94 percent free throw shooter who had just one miss all year, clanked the second of two foul shots, giving the Bison a chance to tie it. Shazier took the inbound and raced upcourt and drained a 30-footer as the horn sounded to force overtime, sending the crowd of 2,105 into a frenzy. "In that situation, you're just trying to get a good look," said Shazier. Bucknell never led in overtime, tying it up on Bryan Cohen's jumper 30 seconds into the extra session, but Cornell powered past them from that point on, outscoring the Bison 21-15 in the five-minute period. "Even when we got up 10 or 12 points, Bucknell was still playing very well," said Donahue. "We were solid, but Bucknell never stopped playing hard." "I'm proud of our guys. They didn't come unglued when we got down," said Paulsen. "They scratched their way back into the game. I told them if we keep competing like that, we have a chance to be a pretty good team."
Williamsport Sun Gazette
December 3, 2009
LEWISBURG - Cornell coach Steve Donahue was seconds away from his first victory at Sojka Pavilion when Bucknell's Darryl Shazier gave him an unwelcome flashback.
Shazier hit a long, game-tying 3-pointer as time expired to send Wednesday's game into overtime, reminiscent of shot Donahue recalled in the post-game press conference that lost his team a game earlier this decade in Lewisburg
This time his team had a second chance and the Big Red rewarded their coach with that first victory, winning in overtime, 104-98.
"It was a wild game, there's no doubt about it," said Donahue. "I tried not to put that shot (from several years ago) in my head.
"I'm proud of my guys because when a team ties it up like that, it can be so demoralizing if you let it and then it's on the road and the fans are going crazy"
Cornell (6-2), the two-time defending Ivy League champion and preseason favorite, won its fourth game in seven days. Its lone two losses this season have come against Big East foes Seton Hall and nationally-ranked Syracuse.
In overtime, Bucknell (4-4) decided to make it a free throw contest with a minute remaining and only trailing by three points. Adam Wire made a predictable 1-for-2, based on his percentage of 53, and put his team ahead by four. The Bison came up empty on their ensuing possession and Cornell closed by making 8-of-10 free throws.
"We were struggling to get a stop and twenty-four had missed two so we were going to foul him," said Bucknell coach Dave Paulsen. "He made one and then we missed our look. That was the guy we were going to foul, so it was a calculated risk and we'd probably do it again. I thought our guys were gassed and it was really hard to get a stop down the stretch."
Seven-footer Jeff Foote, who added over 40 pounds of muscle over the past two years, finished with a career-high 28 points for Cornell.. The senior, who added a career-high 18 rebounds, showed deft tough inside the paint, dropping in baby hooks with each hand.
"He has become just a tremendous basketball player," said Donahue.
Points in the second half came a little tougher, however, as Bucknell freshman Colin Klebon bodied the 265-pounder with every fiber of muscle available. Foote doubled his points total in the second half and overtime, but the looks didn't as easy or often.
"That's the first time I ever saw anybody that tall," said Klebon.
Klebon, a Southern Columbia graduate, had played just nine minutes before playing 17 against Cornell. He added six points, five rebounds.
Freshman Mike Muscala, with a bandaged left hand, added 20 points.
Shazier led all Bucknell scorers with 22, while Bryan Cohen (16), Bryson Johnson (12) and Stephen Tyree (11) all reached double figures.
Shazier sent the game into overtime as time expired as he hit a long 3-pointer in front of the Bison bench that sent the 2,105 fans into a frenzy. It brought the Bison all the way back from a 13-point deficit with 17:30 remaining.
Dec. 2, 2009
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LEWISBURG, Pa. - The best team in the Ivy League and a team looking to get back to the top of the Patriot League engaged in a sensational, high-scoring affair at Sojka Pavilion on Wednesday night, but in the end it was the veteran Big Red holding on for a 104-98 overtime victory over Bucknell. Darryl Shazier led the Bison with 22 points, three of them coming on a buzzer-beater at the end of regulation, while freshman Mike Muscala had his best game in a Bucknell uniform with 20 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots.
Seven-foot center Jeff Foote had a monster night, producing 28 points and 18 rebounds for the Big Red (6-2), the two-time defending Ivy League champs who had already beaten Alabama and Massachusetts on the road this season. Fellow seniors Ryan Wittman (25 points) and Louis Dale (12 points, 7 assists) also made critical plays down the stretch for Cornell, which is now 6-1 away from home this season, with the only loss coming to No. 9 Syracuse.
Shazier also had eight assists for the second straight game in addition to his 22 points for the Bison (4-4), who had five players score in double figures. Bryan Cohen added 16 points, Bryson Johnson hit four more 3-pointers for 12 points, and Stephen Tyree pitched in 11 points.
While Muscala may have had his breakout game, so did classmate Colin Klebon. The rookie from nearby Shamokin had appeared in only two games this season, totaling nine minutes, but Bucknell needed his muscle in this one and he played 17 minutes with six points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal. He also had the most success among any of Bucknell's frontcourt players defending the massive Foote, who had his double-double by halftime with 14 points and 10 boards.
Klebon's hustle play diving out of bounds to save a loose ball sparked Bucknell's big second-half comeback. The Bison trailed 20-8 early as Cornell came blazing out of the gates, making 10 of their first 13 shots of the night. The home team hung around, though, and managed to stay within nine at 45-36 at the half.
Bucknell finally came up with some defensive stops after falling behind by as many as 13 early in the second half, and Klebon's possession-saver resulted in a Johnson 3-pointer that cut a nine-point deficit down to six at 53-47. A few minutes later G.W. Boon swished a three from the left wing that cut it to four at 54-50 and got the Sojka crowd back in it. But the veteran Big Red, who returned all five starters from last year's 21-win team plus transfers from Kentucky and UMass, continued to get big shots from their seniors.
Little-used senior Jon Jaques canned a three of his own from deep in the left corner, followed by a Wittman pull-up trey to put Cornell back up by 10.
Still, the Bison had plenty of fight left. Shazier's corner 3-pointer ignited an 11-0 run that put them ahead for the first time. Right after Shazier hit the three, he took off down the floor after grabbing a defensive rebound. His coast-to-coast layup rimmed out, but Muscala soared for a follow-up jam that again brought the fans out of their seats. On the next possession Muscala, who had already hit three long set shots including his first career 3-pointer, pump-faked around a defender and drove the lane for a 3-point play. That brought Bucknell within 60-58, then the Bison went ahead on a 3-pointer by Tyree with 9:25 remaining.
The lead would change hands nine more times before the end of regulation. Bucknell trailed 75-71 inside three minutes to play when Muscala scored in the lane, followed by a 3-point play from Cohen that put the Bison up 76-75.
At the other end, Cornell missed a short jumper and a tip attempt, and after a scramble for the loose ball in the paint, Dale kicked it out to a wide open Wittman in the right corner for a go-ahead 3-pointer. Wittman then blocked Cohen's layup with 30 seconds left, and the Bison had to start fouling. Dale and Wittman made four straight surrounding a Tyree layup, which might have been a 3-point play but he back-rimmed the free throw.
It was an 82-80 game when Chris Wroblewski, a 94-percent free-throw shooter, went to the line for a 1-and-1 with 3.9 seconds left. Wroblewski made the first but the second rimmed out. Tyree grabbed the rebound and passed ahead to Shazier, who sprinted up the floor and buried a pull-up 25-footer as the buzzer sounded.
Bucknell seemingly ran out of legs in the overtime period, however. Cornell opened the extra period on a 9-3 run, with Foote scoring six points to go with a Dale 3-pointer. The Bison twice pulled back within three on treys by Shazier and Johnson, the latter with 1:13 to play. After Adam Wire made 1 of 2 at the line, Cohen came up short on a pair of 3-point attempts, and the Big Red finished it off by making 8 of 8 from the line in the last 41 seconds.
The highest-scoring game in Sojka Pavilion history was remarkably well-played. In a game that featured 202 total points, there were only 23 combined turnovers (12 Bucknell, 11 Cornell) and only two players collected four or more fouls. Both teams shot better than 50 percent from both the field and the 3-point arc.
Bucknell shot 52.9 percent from the floor and 52.4 percent from 3-point range (11-21), but the Bison did leave a few points at the free-throw line, where they made 15 of 24 (.625). Cornell shot over 62 percent in the first half and 56.5 percent for the game. The Big Red were 6-for-10 from the arc and 28-for-35 (.800) from the foul line, including 14-for-15 in overtime.
Muscala was 9-for-11 from the field and grabbed five of his seven rebounds at the offensive end. His career-high 20 points were part of a 41-point night by the Bison bench.
Cornell became the first team to score 100 points in Sojka Pavilion and the first to do it anywhere against the Bison since Iona's 105-61 win in 2000-01. On the other hand, Bucknell's 98 points were its most since a 98-86 double-overtime win over George Mason in 1998-99.
Bucknell now plays its next four games on the road, starting with games at Binghamton and Boston University this Friday and Sunday.
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