Big Red upset
Confident Cornell sends No. 5 Temple packing
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Confident, relaxed and definitely on its game.
Cornell lived up to its billing as the best team to come out of the Ivy League in more than a decade, and now the senior-heavy Big Red have a chance for a nice run in the East Regional of the NCAA tournament.
“Everyone was saying we were Cinderella or it’s an upset. Not us,” sophomore Chris Wroblewski said Friday after the 12th-seeded Big Red dominated No. 5 seed Temple 78-65 in a game that wasn’t even that close.
Down to their last chance to experience success on college basketball’s biggest stage, seniors Ryan Wittman, Louis Dale and Jeff Foote paced the school to its first win in five NCAA appearances, and the first tournament win for an Ivy League school since 1998.
Dale scored 21 points and Wittman, the Ivy League player of the year, had 20 for the Big Red, who led the nation in 3-point shooting and have three other elements – strong guard play, experienced leadership and a 7-foot center in Foote – that make them a threat to play beyond the first weekend.
Cornell (28-4) made eight of its first 10 shots and shot 56 percent for the game.
Temple (29-6) lost in the first round for the third straight year under coach Fran Dunphy, whose former assistant, Steve Donahue, has led Cornell to three straight Ivy League titles and the winningest season in school history.
Juan Fernandez and Ryan Brooks each had 14 points for Temple. Lavoy Allen added 11.
Having gone through a nonconference schedule that included games against Kansas, Syracuse, Seton Hall, St. John’s and Alabama, Donahue felt the Big Red was better equipped this year to face a tough, physical opening-round opponent such as Temple, one of the nation’s stingiest defensive teams.
Dunphy, at Temple since 2006, is 1-12 in the NCAA tournament and has lost 11 straight.
Temple trailed 37-29 at the half and was fortunate to be that close. The Owls uncharacteristically turned the ball over nine times. Cornell had seven steals while playing tight man-to-man defense and occasionally switching to a 1-3-1 zone that made it difficult to get the ball inside.