Cornell Men's Basketball Uses Balanced Attack To Down Blue Hens, 75-61
November 17, 2010
Photo courtesy of Mark Campbell
ITHACA, N.Y. -- Max Groebe and Chris Wroblewski each scored 13 points to lead a balanced Cornell attack as the Big Red defeated the University of Delaware, 75-61, Wednesday night at Newman Arena.
Cornell, which won its home opener while improving to 2-1 on the season, captured its 12th straight game in Ithaca. Anthony Gatlin did not miss a shot while contributing 12 points off the bench, while Aaron Osgood and Drew Ferry added nine apiece.
Delaware, which fell to 0-2 this season and dropped its 11th consecutive road contest, was led in the scoring for the second straight game by freshman Devon Saddler, who posted 15 points while adding six rebounds. Sophomore Jamelle Hagins (at right) scored 14 points on 6 of 9 shooting while adding a team-high seven rebounds and a career-best six blocked shots.
Josh Brinkley scored six points while Hakim McCullar and Kelvin McNeil each chipped in five for Delaware.
However the Blue Hens were undone by a tough shooting night from outside as Delaware connected on only 1 of 13 three-point attempts, a triple by Alphonso Dawson with just 2:44 to go. UD senior Jawan Carter, a Preseason All-CAA Second Team selection, missed all seven of his field goal attempts while scoring just one point on the night.
The night began with Cornell raising its 2010 Ivy League Championship and Sweet Sixteen banners prior to the game, but its was the Blue Hens who got off to a hot start by jumping out to a 7-2 lead.
Delaware still led 18-17 following a bucket inside by Brinkley, but Cornell answered with three straight baskets to take a 23-18 advantage with 5:09 left and would not trail from there.
McCullar and Saddler countered with baskets to bring Delaware within a point, but the Big Red reeled off eight consecutive points to go up 31-22 on a three-pointer by Groebe at the 2:46 mark. The Blue Hens answered as Hagins hit a jumper and Saddler scored twice to make it a three-point game, but Ferry converted a driving layup with 0.2 seconds left as Cornell took a 33-28 advantage into the break.
Groebe hit his second three-pointer of the second half to put the Big Red up 41-33 early in the period, but Dawson connected from 15 feet and Saddler converted a three-point play as Delaware closed the gap to three with 16:51 to play.
The Blue Hens were still within three when Brinkley scored to make it 45-42, but Gatlin converted a four-point play followed by jumpers by Osgood and Wroblewski as Cornell went up double figures at 53-42 with 11:37 remaining.
The lead grew to as much as 13 before Saddler scored in between two baskets by Hagins as Delaware pulled within 58-49 at the 8:34 mark. However the Blue Hens would not get closer as Cornell responded with a 10-3 run, going up 68-52 on a free throw by Adam Wire with 3:20 to go.
“I thought we got off to a good start, but we were unable to sustain it,” said Delaware fifth-year head coach Monté Ross. “We had a couple of plays here and there in the second half that hurt us. I’m proud of the guys to keep fighting, but it was a tough night shooting from three-point range for us. Our young guys played well inside, but we just didn’t shoot the ball the way we need to.”
The Blue Hens play their home opener on Friday when Delaware hosts Howard at 8 p.m. at the Bob Carpenter Center.
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