Males’s Basketball Beats Lehigh in First Recreation of the Season, Takes Down SUNY Morrisville

Males’s basketball started its season on Monday, Nov. 6, when the group squared off towards Lehigh. The Purple’s beginning lineup featured senior ahead Sean Hansen, sophomore ahead DJ Nix, senior guard Chris Manon, senior guard Isaiah Grey and sophomore guard Cooper Noard.

It was Hansen who received Cornell (2-0, 0-0 Ivy) on the board, working his method into the paint and hitting his signature hook shot. On the Purple’s subsequent possession, Noard knocked down a three-point shot.

After Cornell’s first spherical of substitutions, junior guard Nazir Williams and junior ahead Man Ragland Jr. instantly made an affect, forcing a 10-second violation on the Mountain Hawks (0-1, 0-0 Patriot League). The Purple’s play fashion hinges on fast offensive possessions and full court docket press on protection, so forcing most of these turnovers is vital for the group’s success.

The Purple was just a little sloppy on offense within the opening half, turning the ball over eight instances in comparison with 9 assists. These turnovers proved to be expensive, because the Mountain Hawks transformed them into 16 factors.

Noard saved the group within the recreation with a powerful taking pictures efficiency. He completed the half with 15 factors, flattening 5 three-point photographs out of seven makes an attempt. Final season, Noard averaged simply 1.9 factors per recreation.

The primary half had seven lead adjustments and 6 ties, with neither group main by greater than seven factors. Going into halftime, the Purple trailed the Mountain Hawks, 44-39.

Lehigh prolonged its result in seven to start out the half, however a layup by Grey and a three-pointer by Hansen shortly minimize this result in two. The Mountain Hawks didn’t relinquish its lead with no struggle, scoring 10 factors contained in the paint in the course of the opening seven minutes of the half.

Down 58-54, Hansen delivered for the Purple. After hitting a three-point shot to tug the group inside one, he gave the Purple a one-point lead on the group’s subsequent possession. This was Cornell’s first lead because it led, 20-19. After Lehigh tied the rating at 59, Hansen knocked down his fourth three-pointer of the sport.

Hansen completed the sport with 25 factors, 4 rebounds and two assists. His 25 factors have been only one shy of his career-high. It was Cornell’s gameplan to have Hansen be a extra aggressive shooter this season, and it paid off.

“[Hansen] will do no matter’s crucial,” mentioned head coach Brian Earl. “[Against Lehigh] he had the chance to take the ball one-on-one and made numerous proper choices. He’s very unselfish.”

Whereas the Purple’s free throw taking pictures was not unbelievable — the group hit 67.7 p.c of its photographs on the charity stripe — Cornell was capable of knock down most of its free throws down the stretch to seal its victory. The Purple beat Lehigh, 84-78. Regardless of the win, Coach Earl acknowledges that enhancements nonetheless have to be made on the defensive finish.

On Wednesday, Nov. 8, Cornell confronted SUNY Morrisville (0-1, 0-0 NAC). The Purple held the lead the whole recreation. The group received the sport with a remaining rating of 107-85. Freshman guard Josh Beccles led the scoring for Cornell with 15 factors.

“[Beccles] is quick and dynamic… he seemed good as we speak and he’ll should put it collectively day after day in observe and within the video games he will get in,” Earl mentioned.

Cornell will proceed its season on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 1 p.m., when it faces Fordham in Rose Hill Gymnasium in New York Metropolis. This recreation may be watched dwell on ESPN+.