Cornell
67
62
Columbia
| Stat Comparison |
| Category |
Cornell |
Columbia |
| FGM-A |
24/51 |
21/68 |
| FG% |
47.1 |
30.9
|
| 3 FGM-A |
6/23 |
6/23 |
| 3 FG% |
26.1 |
26.1 |
| FTM-A |
13/18 |
14/22 |
| FT% |
72.2 |
63.6 |
| Rebounds |
41 |
39 |
| Assists |
15 |
12 |
| Turnovers |
22 |
11 |
| Blocks |
3 |
3 |
| Steals |
6 |
12 |
| Individual Leaders |
| Category |
Cornell |
Columbia |
| Points |
Matt Morgan (17) |
Mike Smith (24) |
| Rebounds |
Two tied with 6 |
Luke Petrasek (8) |
| Assists |
Matt Morgan (7) |
Mike Smith (3) |
| Steals |
Two tied with 2 |
Three tied with 3 |
| Blocks |
Two tied with 2 |
Three tied with 1 |
NEW YORK, N.Y. — Cornell converted 13 of 15 second half free throws, including eight in the final minute, and Matt Morgan led four players in double figures with 17 points as the Big Red to a 67-62 Ivy League men's basketball victory over Columbia Saturday. The two teams were playing their second matchup in seven days as Columbia defeated Cornell, 79-75, in Ithaca, New York, last Saturday.
Columbia, which shot 30.9 percent (21-of-68) from the floor and 63.6 percent (14-22) from the free throw line, was led by first-year Mike Smith, who scored a career-high 24 points. The Lions hit just 8-of-15 from the free throw line in the second half and could not take advantage of Cornell's 22 turnovers.
The Lions had one last opportunity when a Luke Petrasek layup cut the margin to 65-62 with 30 seconds to play. Nate Hickman came up with a steal as the Big Red tried to bring the ball out of the backcourt, but Luke Petrasek missed a 3-point attempt from the right wing. Cornell pulled down the rebound and Wil Bathurst was fouled with 14.5 seconds and hit both free throws.
Troy Whiteside and Stone Gettings added 13 points apiece and Bathurst added 12 for Cornell.
In addition to Smith's 24 for Columbia, Nate Hickman finished with 14 points and Petrasek added eight points and eight rebounds.
The game featured 15 lead changes and six ties. Columbia last led 55-54 on a Smith free throw with 3:36 to play, but Cornell answered with a Bathurst jumper and Morgan trey to take a 59-55 lead with 1:36 to go. From then on, Cornell converted eight of its 10 free throw attempts.
Smith's shooting and playmaking sparked Columbia as he scored eight points in an 11-2 spurt, which gave the Lions a 39-35 lead with 14:30 left. Columbia held a 41-35 lead after a Lukas Meisner dunk with 13:37 to play, but Cornell answered with back-to-back 3-pointers by Morgan and Gettings to tie the game at 41-41.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair that featured 11 lead changes, 16 Cornell turnovers and 28 percent shooting from Columbia (10-of-36). A trifecta by Morgan gave the Big Red a 31-28 halftime lead.
Cornell (5-12, 1-1) got off to a quick start as it took a 10-2 lead on a Morgan triple just four minutes into the contest, but the Lions battled back to take a 17-16 lead on a Smith layup with 6:23 left in the first half. Smith's eight points and Hickman's six kept the Lions in the game.
Columbia will remain at home to take on Dartmouth this Friday, January 27 at 7 p.m. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by visiting GoColumbiaLions.com/Tickets or by calling 888-LIONS-11.
The game will be simulcast live on the Ivy League Digital Network.
POST-GAME TIP-INS
- Mike Smith's previous career-high was 23 points set at Seton Hall on Dec. 1, 2016.
- Columbia sold out this evening's game. It's announced attendance of 2,220 marked its largest crowd of the 2016-17 season.
- Jake Killingsworth returned to the court after missing last week's game in Ithaca (injury) and logged 16 minutes off the bench.
- Columbia honored its 2016 Ivy League champion men's soccer at the first media timeout of the second half.
