Cornell didn't celebrate its victory over Alabama on Saturday for too long, or with too much fervor. Considering what lays ahead, the Big Red couldn't afford to.
"Definitely," said senior Ryan Wittman, who scored 23 points in Cornell's first victory over an Southeastern Conference school in 37 years.
"That's something that's going to be huge. You can't just ponder on the last game. I think that's going to be something big throughout the whole year. We've got a lot of games coming up in a short amount of time, you kind of just learn what you can from it and focus on the next game."
A trip to Amherst, Mass., on Wednesday night ignites a stretch of six games over 12 days, a stern gauntlet highlighted by Friday night's home game with Seton Hall and Tuesday's trip to Syracuse.
Cornell and Massachusetts tip off about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Mullins Center. The game will be played under the umbrella of the Legends Classic, but this is no tournament.
UMass, along with Rutgers, Michigan State and Florida, were pre-determined "regional round winners" by the event's financial backers, the Gazelle Group, and will meet Nov. 27-28 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City regardless of early-round results.
Cornell will wrap up Legends Classic play on Nov. 27-29, with back-to-back-to-back games against Toledo, Vermont and Drexel in Philadelphia.
Cornell coach Steve Donahue said he knew the tournament's structure going in, and gladly accepted what he believes will be four challenging games.
"Ideally, I don't like it," he said. "I don't think anybody likes it. But it's the money talking there and it is what it is. I'm glad we're getting four good games."
The Minutemen (0-1) lost, 84-67 Friday at Central Florida, and are coming off a 12-18 season in what was coach Derek Kellogg's first year. UMass likes to spread the floor with guards and get its offense off dribble-drives, kickouts and offensive rebounds. Against UCF, UMass went 12-for-38 on 3-point attempts.
Senior guard Ricky Harris averaged 18.2 points per game as a junior, but Donahue said he's not Kellogg's only dangerous scorer.
"He is (dangerous) in returns of returning scorers, but they have eight or nine guys who can go get you 20 because some of these young kids are really highly touted," he said.
At Alabama, Cornell took a 5-2 lead in the early minutes and never relinquished the advantage. Cornell led by as many as 15 early in the second half, then fended off several Crimson Tide rallies down the stretch. Wittman, Louis Dale and Jeff Foote -- twice -- each hit critical baskets or free throws when Alabama pulled to within a possession.
In games against Syracuse and Minnesota a year ago, Cornell held halftime leads only to tire in the second half. That didn't happen Saturday.
"I think it was our composure," senior forward Alex Tyler said. "We had confidence in ourselves. We know this year is going to be different. We got together when they made their little run, and it was fine. Last year I could feel a little bit we were tense and anxious."
And they're determined, Tyler said, to get more than one signature victory.
"We're not happy with just a good win against Alabama," he said. "I mean, we're happy. It's a good start. But we know there's a job to do every game we got out, and we're not going to be satisfied with one win or two wins. We want to win every game."
"Definitely," said senior Ryan Wittman, who scored 23 points in Cornell's first victory over an Southeastern Conference school in 37 years.
"That's something that's going to be huge. You can't just ponder on the last game. I think that's going to be something big throughout the whole year. We've got a lot of games coming up in a short amount of time, you kind of just learn what you can from it and focus on the next game."
A trip to Amherst, Mass., on Wednesday night ignites a stretch of six games over 12 days, a stern gauntlet highlighted by Friday night's home game with Seton Hall and Tuesday's trip to Syracuse.
Cornell and Massachusetts tip off about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Mullins Center. The game will be played under the umbrella of the Legends Classic, but this is no tournament.
UMass, along with Rutgers, Michigan State and Florida, were pre-determined "regional round winners" by the event's financial backers, the Gazelle Group, and will meet Nov. 27-28 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City regardless of early-round results.
Cornell will wrap up Legends Classic play on Nov. 27-29, with back-to-back-to-back games against Toledo, Vermont and Drexel in Philadelphia.
Cornell coach Steve Donahue said he knew the tournament's structure going in, and gladly accepted what he believes will be four challenging games.
"Ideally, I don't like it," he said. "I don't think anybody likes it. But it's the money talking there and it is what it is. I'm glad we're getting four good games."
The Minutemen (0-1) lost, 84-67 Friday at Central Florida, and are coming off a 12-18 season in what was coach Derek Kellogg's first year. UMass likes to spread the floor with guards and get its offense off dribble-drives, kickouts and offensive rebounds. Against UCF, UMass went 12-for-38 on 3-point attempts.
Senior guard Ricky Harris averaged 18.2 points per game as a junior, but Donahue said he's not Kellogg's only dangerous scorer.
"He is (dangerous) in returns of returning scorers, but they have eight or nine guys who can go get you 20 because some of these young kids are really highly touted," he said.
At Alabama, Cornell took a 5-2 lead in the early minutes and never relinquished the advantage. Cornell led by as many as 15 early in the second half, then fended off several Crimson Tide rallies down the stretch. Wittman, Louis Dale and Jeff Foote -- twice -- each hit critical baskets or free throws when Alabama pulled to within a possession.
In games against Syracuse and Minnesota a year ago, Cornell held halftime leads only to tire in the second half. That didn't happen Saturday.
"I think it was our composure," senior forward Alex Tyler said. "We had confidence in ourselves. We know this year is going to be different. We got together when they made their little run, and it was fine. Last year I could feel a little bit we were tense and anxious."
And they're determined, Tyler said, to get more than one signature victory.
"We're not happy with just a good win against Alabama," he said. "I mean, we're happy. It's a good start. But we know there's a job to do every game we got out, and we're not going to be satisfied with one win or two wins. We want to win every game."
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