Hot shooting propels Cornell to victory over Dartmouth
February 20, 2011 —
Photo by Patrick Shanahan
To live and die by the three was the best place for the Cornell men’s basketball team to be, shooting 55 percent from behind the arc en route to a 96-76 victory over Dartmouth Saturday night at Newman Arena.
Errick Peck led the way for the Big Red (7-17, 3-7 Ivy League) with 22 points, including four of six from behind the arc to keep the Big Green (5-19, 1-9) at bay.
Peck made all four threes early in the second half, the last of which gave the Big Red a 66-49 edge over the Big Green with just under 16 minutes to play.
According to Big Red guard Chris Wroblewski, the team came out with a bigger sense of urgency against a Big Green team that stunned the Big Red 64-57 on Jan. 29 in Hanover, N.H.
“I think this time around we came out a more desperate team,” Wroblewski said.
“We wanted to win a little more compared to the last time we played (Dartmouth)…that’s what was different. We played more aggressive this time around.”
The Big Red certainly has fallen from grace after finishing 29-5 the previous season and making it to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.
Thus for Big Red head coach Bill Courtney, any win this season is something to cherish.
“Every time you get a win you’re happy,” Courtney said. “They’re few and far between this year so you got to enjoy everyone that you get.”
According to Wroblewski, who scored 19 points, the win over the Big Green should give the Big Red a much-needed boost during a woeful season.
“To have some confidence moving forward,” Wroblewski said. “That’s been one of the biggest things we’ve been lacking this year is confidence so to have that is going to be a huge asset.”
The Big Red had six players score in double figures for the first time this season, but it was Wroblewski’s impressive performance that pleased Courtney.
“(Wroblewski) made the right plays tonight whether it was an open pass for assists or taking the open shots,” said Courtney.
“He really did a good job with his decision making and he spearheaded our defense…he was fully involved with that.”
The road for the Big Red does not get any easier when they prepare to take on Princeton and Penn on the road next weekend.
The Big Red lost by two points to Princeton last weekend, but also beat Penn in overtime to split the “P” schools at home.
According to guard Jonathan Gray, the Big Red needs to prepare for the tough weekend ahead of them.
“You know, we’re going to try and enjoy this (win) today,” Gray said.
“Starting next week, we have two big games–Penn and Princeton–and we have to really focus on those games, try to do what we can to take one game at a time and hopefully just finish the season off right.”