Box Score Box Score (PDF)
ITHACA, N.Y. -- Senior
Chris Wroblewski became Cornell's career leader in assists and was one of three double figure scorers in the Big Red's 70-57 victory over Dartmouth on Friday evening at Newman Arena. The win guarantees the Big Red a .500 finish in Ivy League play and moved the team's record to 12-15 (7-6 Ivy), while Dartmouth slipped to 5-24 (1-12 Ivy).
Wroblewski assisted on a
Drew Ferry 3-pointer less than three minutes into the contest to break a tie with former backcourt mate Louis Dale '10, giving him 471. He ended the night with 12 points, six rebounds and five assists to bring his four-year assist total to 475.
Johnathan Gray scored 20 points and grabbed five rebounds in just 22 minutes of action, while
Drew Ferry chipped in 16 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals without a turnover in 37 minutes of action. Cornell hit on 11-of-23 from 3-point range (48 percent) and turned the ball over just 12 times while playing suffocating pressure defense. The Big Green turned the ball over 16 times and shot just 34 percent overall (20 percent from beyond the arc).
Jvonte Brooks scored 15 points and had nine rebounds to lead Dartmouth, while fellow freshman Gabas Maldunas scored 11 points and had seven baords. The Big Green held a 39-35 edge on the backboards and got to the free-throw line 35 times, though it hit just 63 percent from the charity stripe in collecting its 17th loss in its last 19 contests.
A sloppy first half by both teams won't long be remembered as a clinic, but Cornell still was able to take control despite a slow start. Dartmouth got out to a 5-0 lead and held the Big Red scorelesss for nearly three minutes to open the contest before Wroblewski found Ferry on the left wing for a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 5-3 and end the record watch. Another trey, this time by Gray, gave Cornell its first lead at 6-5. Though Dartmouth momentarily regained the edge, the Big Red started to impose its will.
Wroblewski hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions before picking up his second foul with 13 minutes to play in the half, then Gray scored consecutive baskets and Chemerinski stole a Dartmouth inbounds pass and converted it into a layup to complete a 12-0 run over 2:59. Cornell's pressure defense forced errant passes and quick shots that eventually turned into a double digit Big Red lead. The home team led by as many as 13 before the Big Green inched back with a 9-0 run over the final 4:20 of the half to go into the locker room trailing just 28-24.
The second half was much better for the Big Red. After a back and fourth first three minutes of the stanza, Cornell came alive. A 3-pointer by Ferry and one by
Galal Cancer made the lead nine (41-32). After a John Golden steal and dunk got Dartmouth back within seven with just over 12 minutes left to give the visitors some momentum, Cancer ran down the court and picked up a three-point play to get the Big Red crowd back into the game. That triggered a 25-10 Cornell run that turned a tight affair into a laugher, as the hoem team built a 22-point lead with under three minutes remaining. Gray hit two treys and Ferry hit another during the run as both teams emptied the benches late. Dartmouth scored the game's final nine points in the last three minutes to bring the score into more reasonable territory.
Cornell will attempt to send its four seniors (Ferry, Wroblewski,
Max Groebe and
Anthony Gatlin, who saw his first playing time of the year on Friday night) out on the right note, while also shaking up the Ivy League race when it plays host to Harvard on Saturday evening at 7 p.m. The game will be televised by ESPN3.