Cornell

2008 NCAA Tournament Capsule: Cornell

Joel Welser — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:50:29 -0800

Cornell

Ivy League (22-5, 14-0)

Big Wins: 11/25 Siena (83-77), 2/1 at Brown (75-64), 2/1 Brown 74-65)

Bad Losses: 11/17 at Ohio (89-102), 12/1 Colgate (73-76), 12/19 at Bucknell (75-88)

Last NCAA Appearance: 1988, First Round loss to Arizona

Coach: Steve Donahue (First NCAA appearance)

Probable Starters:

Louis Dale, Sophomore, Guard, 13.8 ppg, 5.0 apg, 4.4 rpg

Adam Gore, Junior, Guard, 10.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg

Ryan Wittman, Sophomore, Guard, 15.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg

Alex Tyler, Sophomore, Forward, 8.2 4.3 rpg

Jason Hartford, Senior, Forward, 7.5 4.2 rpg

Key Roleplayers:

Geoff Reeves, Sophomore, Guard3.4 ppg, 1.5 rpg

Jason Battle, Junior, Guard, 2.0 ppg, 1.4 rpg

Brian Kreefer, Junior, Forward, 3.4 ppg, 1.3 apg

Jeff Foote, Junior, Center, 8.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.4 bpg

Why They Can Surprise:

Cornell’s shooting numbers are as close to perfect as anybody could hope. The team ranks first in the nation in free-throw shooting, third in three-point shooting and eighth in field-goal percentage. For a team that makes over eight three-pointers a game, shooting almost 49 percent from the floor is incredible.

Much of that superb shooting can be attributed to Ryan Wittman. The 6-6 wing makes three long balls per game and hits them 46.6 percent of the time. That is in the top ten in the nation. Adam Gore does not take as many shots, but he still shoots over 41 percent from long range. Gore also shoots 92.9 percent from the charity stripe and Louis Dale, who was leading the nation in free-throw percentage not along ago, also shoots over 90 percent.

Why They Can Disappoint:

It is unlikely that Cornell will get as many open looks in the NCAA Tournament as they did in the Ivy League, but the guards still might be able to keep Cornell in the game. Where the Big Red will suffer is in the frontcourt. It is not that Alex Tyler, Jeff Foote, Jason Hartford and Brian Kreefer form a bad frontcourt, but they have had little experience this year facing the type of big man they will see in March. The mid-season addition of Foote gives the team a much needed shot blocking threat and rebounder, but even the 7-foot transfer from St. Bonaventure will need to have a great game if Cornell wants to pull off an upset.

Who To Watch:

Dale is the guy who makes this team tick. The 5-11 point guard does a lot more than just find his teammates. He is a great scorer as well and will use his quickness to get to the basket. Even if he does not score from the floor, getting to the foul line is an automatic two points. Dale fills up the stat sheet and even grabs over four rebounds per game and can use his quick hands and feet to swipe a couple steals. The turnovers are a little high, but this is a team that likes to run and put points up in a hurry and they can certainly do that despite the occasional turnover.

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Buzzer Beater: The Weekend Review

Jason Brubaker — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:35:23 -0800

- The NIT would like to officially welcome Syracuse to the mix, after a bizarre late-game collapse against Pitt on Saturday. The Orange may have been done in by a no-call when Paul Harris was stripped of the ball underneath the basket, but bad calls don't explain blowing an 11-point lead in the final three minutes. Barring a surprise run through the Big East Tournament, the Orange, now7-9 in the conference, are likely on the wrong side of the bubble for the second straight year.

- Maryland also didn’t do themselves any favors after inexplicably blowing a 20-point second half lead and falling at home to Clemson. The Terps may need a win or two in the ACC Tourney to feel good about their chances after this latest setback.

- Hats off to Boston College's Tyrese Rice. In case you spent the weekend in a cave, the junior point guard poured in a career-high 34 points against #2 North Carolina...in the first half. Rice's amazing display included eight three-pointers, and he actually led the entire Tar Heels team until five minutes remained in the first half. Slowed considerably in the second half, Rice would still finish the game with 46 points. UNC's depth enabled them to escape with a win, but Rice's shooting display won't soon be forgotten.

- Congratulations to Cornell, who earned their first bid to the NCAA Tournament since 1988 with a 86-53 win over Harvard. Like many Ivy League teams, the Big Red won't razzle-dazzle you, but they will play sound, fundamental basketball and won't beat themselves. And for those who think this just means they'll be served up on a platter to the likes of UCLA or Memphis, keep in mind that Cornell gave Duke all they wanted in a January match-up at Cameron, eventually falling short 81-67.

- Question for Kansas State players and coaches: I know basketball is a team game, and one man can't beat five....but is there a reason Michael Beasley doesn't touch the ball on every possession? The super-frosh is shooting 55% from the field, averaging 26+ points per game...yet there were stretches of five or six possessions against Kansas where he didn't even see the ball. Granted, that may not have affected the outcome against a fired-up KU squad, but if I'm a guard for K-State, my first, second and third options are to get the ball to #30 - period.

- Brook Lopez of Stanford is quietly becoming one of the best big men in college basketball. The seven-foot sophomore poured in 25 points in a big win over Washington State Saturday, as the Cardinal improved to 24-4 on the season. Stanford, now winners of six of their last seven, is looking like a team no one will want to play in the tournament.

- Big ups to Texas Tech's Alan Voskuil and Georgetown's Jonathan Wallace, who both nailed crucial free throws in victories on Saturday. Wallace calmly nailed three with less than three seconds left to tie the game at Marquette, a game the Hoyas would win in overtime. Meanwhile, Voskuil went 10-10 from the line, including six in the final minutes, as the Red Raiders stunned Texas 83-80.

- Can anyone figure out Texas A&M? The Aggies were pounded by Oklahoma on Saturday, 64-37, just four days after laying a 44-point beatdown (in which they scored 98 points) on Texas Tech. The Aggies, up and down all year, will still be dancing this year, but who knows how long they'll stick around?

- Louisville continues to impress, winning their ninth game in a row with a victory over Villanova. Included in that stretch are wins over Georgetown, Pitt, Marquette and Notre Dame. The Cards are peaking at just the right time, and appear to have the ingredients for a deep tourney run.

- Joey Dorsey...please just play basketball. The talented but fiery Memphis big man had to be restrained before the game at Southern Miss after jawing with some players during warm-ups..yet another incident in a career full of them. Dorsey is a fantastic rebounder and defender, but his lack of self-control might be the biggest factor in determining how far the Tigers go this year.

- And finally, congratulation to Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski, who earned his 800th career victory over N.C. State on Saturday. The Devils overcame a 13-point second half deficit with timely shooting to get Coach K to the vaunted mark. There are plenty of Duke haters out there, but there's no denying that Coach K is one of the best ever to walk the sidelines.

Teams of the Day: Arkansas and Cornell

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 23:17:40 -0800

Arkansas 19-9 (8-6 SEC West) Computer numbers (courtesy of kenpom.com): RPI 44, SOS 54 (before Saturday's games) On a day in which some bubble teams found a way in which to further complicate their situations (Houston, Syracuse and Florida this means you), the Razorbacks took care of business at home in knocking off #14 Vanderbilt 78-73. Four Hogs reached double figures, led by Sonny Weems with twenty, and this game was a virtual must-win for a team that's one of only two in its division with a league record above .500 (Mississippi State is the other at 11-3). As a team, Arkansas shot 58.3% on Saturday, and this is a team with enough size and depth to give a high seed fits if they were to get to the second round of the tournament. But with games at Ole Miss and home to Auburn to close out the regular season, John Pelphrey's bunch can ill afford to drop a game it should (at least on paper) win. Cornell 20-5 (12-0 Ivy League) Computer numbers (courtesy of kenpom.com): RPI 69, SOS 221 Congratulations to the Big Red for becoming the first school to officially punch its ticket to the Big Dance. Tonight's 86-53 win over Harvard was also the end of a 20-year stranglehold on the Ivy's automatic bid by traditional powers Pennsylvania and Princeton. So, where does Cornell get seeded come Selection Sunday? As of Friday, ESPN.com's Joe Lunardi gives them a 13, while CHN's Shawn Siegel has them as a 14 seed. That general area, based on their overall record, RPI and current fourteen-game win streak sounds about right. But I do know this: the Big Red will be no one's pushover, especially with forward Ryan Wittman (15.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and guard Louis Dale (3.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.9 apg) leading the way. On the clock: Arizona, Kentucky and Villanova. All three Wildcats have resume-building opportunities in front of them on Sunday. The fact that they're all on national (in the case of Arizona and Villanova, split coverage) television could magnify the result. A tremendous challenge...but also a tremendous opportunity.

Team of the Day: Cornell

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 06:50:42 -0800

Cornell 17-5 (9-0 Ivy League) Computer numbers (courtesy of kenpom.com): RPI 84, SOS 243 The last time a team not named Pennsylvania or Princeton represented the Ivy League in the NCAA Tournament? 1988. But in the 20th season since that occurrence, the Big Red of Cornell are well on their way to making their first tournament appearance since that season. So I guess it's fitting that Cornell is the school that ends that streak of dominance, and they're one game closer thanks to their 85-65 win over Yale last night. Four players reached double figures in the win over Yale, led by Adam Gore's eighteen. And for those of you who expect Cornell to be a low-scoring offensive unit that lives and dies with backcuts and threes, you'd be incorrect. The Big Red averages 76.5 points per game and shoots 49% from the field. Now winners of eleven straight, a win tonight over Brown could all but seal the conference's automatic bid for Steve Donahue's club. On the clock: Memphis. Tonight's showdown with #2 Tennessee is (perceived to be) the final roadblock to them finishing the regular season undefeated. The entire country will be watching, and I have a feeling the Tigers wil show up with a chip on their collective shoulder.

Seven Day Stretch: Sutton Brothers Going Different Directions

Rob Carpentier — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 07:30:47 -0800

Three weeks ago I pegged Providence College as the Seven Day Savior (team), and they have collapsed since then. Two weeks ago, I put Seton Hall in the same category and they too, have fallen off the radar since my selection. Even my choices of SDS individual awards have been hit. Two weeks ago, it was Central Florida. Last week it was UNC-Asheville. Both teams went from undefeated when I wrote about them to losing…in UCF’s case, more than once. Last week I selected Drake and probably put a scare into those Bulldog followers that read the column. They proceeded to lose to Southern Illinois.. Look out ASU.

Seven Day Savior (Team): Arizona State Sun Devils

ASU played only one game last week, but what a game it was! The Sun Devils went into Tucson and defeated the Arizona Wildcats for the Sun Devils’ first season sweep of their in-state rivals since the 1994-95 season. The win, however, went far beyond just a sweep of the Wildcats. ASU, which had been at the top of the Pac-10 Conference only a couple of weeks ago, were in danger of collapsing down the stretch and being shut out of all post-season play. With that victory, coupled with an equally impressive win over Stanford last night, the Sun Devils have again become relevant in any NCAA conversation. This really is an amazing accomplishment considering the state of the ASU program only 1 ½ years ago. Coach Herb Sendek doesn’t have a senior that plays significant minutes and his top player, James Harden, is a freshman. Sendek’s rebuilding plan is already well ahead of schedule.

Seven Day Savior (Player): Ryan Wittman, Cornell Big Red

The sophomore guard from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and son of Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Randy Wittman has clearly become the best player in the Ivy League. In Cornell's sweep of Pennsylvania and Princeton, Wittman had 45 points and was clearly the best player on the floor. The 22.5 PPG average from last week really shouldn’t be a shock. Wittman was one of the best players on the floor earlier this season when Cornell went to Durham, North Carolina and played Duke tough. Wittman averages 15.7 PPG and shoots 51%...that’s right, 51%, from behind the three-point line. He’s an 87% free throw shooter and is even tied for second on the Big Red in rebounding average. With Wittman on the squad, Cornell is a real threat to not only get to the NCAA Tournament, but also upset a team or two along the way. By the way, the win over Penn was Cornell’s first over the Quakers in 18 games.

　

News of the Week: Indiana’s NCAA Troubles

When Indiana hired Kelvin Sampson to replace Mike Davis, there were more than a few whispers. Regardless of what one might think about Bob Knight, (and I’ve always thought of him as over-the-top), he ran a VERY clean program while in Bloomington. Sampson, who had already gotten into hot water with the NCAA because of some illegal recruiting phone calls while he was at Oklahoma, has a reputation as a loose cannon when it comes to the nitty-gritty of the rules. This reputation began when Sampson was at Washington State and gained steam while at OU. Indiana HAD to have known about these whispers, and yet they hired Sampson anyway. The powers-that-be in the Indiana athletic department felt that Sampson was worth the risk. He’s a very good game coach and prepares his teams well. He has Indiana poised to get a good seed in the NCAA Tournament. But now he has been accused of lying to the NCAA. This is the second-worst infraction that a school or coach can be accused of, behind only the dreaded, “lack of institutional control.” Based on the fact that Sampson was already put on what was effectively a probation while at Oklahoma, and that Indiana had to punish him last fall, the likelihood of Sampson’s surviving these latest allegations is pretty slim. Want to bet that the Indiana AD is wishing they went in a different direction now?

Game of the Week (The one you DON’T know about): Memphis at UAB

While were on the subject of Indiana, let’s look at former Hoosier coach Mike Davis and his UAB Blazers as they prepare to host the #1 ranked Memphis Tigers on Saturday. Houston has been getting a lot of press the past few weeks as the only Conference-USA team that could give Memphis a problem. Obviously the press hasn’t been paying attention to Birmingham. Davis is building a strong program at UAB, and he’s doing it outside the shadow of Bob Knight. Memphis is certainly a stronger program…right now, but if Davis and the Blazers can upset the Tigers then it will show that they have taken a big step up. UAB still has an outside shot at an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and a win against the Tigers would go a long way to getting them on the Big Dance card. On the other hand, Memphis is still looking at gaining the #1 overall seed for the NCAA Tourney. Because of C-USA’s low RPI rating, any loss in conference in the regular season will cost Memphis disproportionately in the seeding process compared to any other of the top teams. This is a big game for both teams.

Seven Days Under the Radar: Oral Roberts Golden Eagles

At least one of the Sutton boys is doing well these days. Scott Sutton and the Golden Eagles have been the dominant force in the Summit League, (formerly known as the Mid-Continent Conference), for the past several years, supplanting the Valparaiso Crusaders who just moved to the Horizon League. Sutton’s squad is undefeated in league play; they have an overall record of 17-5, including an easy win against Oklahoma State at a neutral site and they have a wonderful opportunity for a big win on television in next weekends Bracket Buster games when they host Missouri Valley Conference power, Creighton. There is a possibility that if Oral Roberts ran the table for the rest of the regular season and got to the Summit League Tournament final but lost, that the Golden Eagles could be in line for an at-large bid to the Big Dance; their RPI is actually pretty good, at 59 this week.

Seven Days on the Hot Seat: Sean Sutton, Oklahoma State

Scott Sutton is having a great season at Oral Roberts. Scott’s brother Sean, the second-year head man at Oklahoma State, is not. When Eddie Sutton, the famous coaching legend and father of the two Sutton boys, “retired” prematurely, it left Sean in a bit of a lurch. He had been named Eddie’s successor, but the time for that to happen was supposed to be at least another season away. Fate has a funny way of causing plans to go awry. Sutton, who is a good X’s and O’s guy, wasn’t ready quite yet to be the head man. It was hope that he would grow into the position, being able to rely on the talent that was supposed to be in Stillwater. The problem is that the talent isn’t that good, (thanks, Dad), and Sutton isn’t an ace recruiter. Adding to Sutton’s woes is the fact that the Cowboys haven’t won a conference road game since beating Kansas State on February 4…2006! That’s more than two years between conference road wins. As of today, the Cowboys sit in LAST place in the Big 12. That’s a big fall for a proud program. And a big fall usually needs a fall guy.

Seven Days of Head Scratching: Nepotism in Coaching

The Divine Right of Kings used to dictate that the eldest living son of a given European royal family would take the throne upon the death of the king. Whether the new ruler was going to be better than the newly deceased ruler was a crapshoot, but the idea was that the genetics that ran through the family would provide a wise and benevolent ruler. England beheaded Charles I; France did the same to Louis XVI, while Czar Nicholas II of Russia was shot along with his entire family. You get the idea. People generally know that you shouldn’t hire applicants for jobs just because they’re family members. That has a way of turning out badly. A coaching gig at a major Division I institution should be thought of as no different. However, the statistics would show otherwise, at least recently. With last week’s “retirement” of Bob Knight at Texas Tech, and the subsequent hiring of Knight’s son, Pat, as the new head man, nepotism is alive and well in college basketball, and that may not be a bad thing. Admittedly, sometimes it turns out poorly. I already mentioned Sean Sutton’s troubles, but he’s far from the only one. I mentioned last week that it was much more likely, based on his resume, that Pat Knight was going to struggle at Tech. However, there are many “legacies” coaching in their fathers’ chairs that are doing very well. Keno Davis is the mid-major darling of the college hoops world right now, with his 22-1 Drake team. Several years ago, Scott Drew took over for his father Homer at Valparaiso and he got them to the NCAA Tournament in his only season before he took the Baylor job. Based on Baylor’s play this year, Drew knows his stuff and is qualified to be a successful D-1 coach. John Thompson III has taken his father’s seat at Georgetown and returned the Hoyas to prominence. Perhaps most successful of all is Tony Bennett at Washington State, who has had the Cougars poised for a top seed in the NCAA Tourney the past two seasons. One would think that the laws that apply to the rest of the world in regards to leadership would remain the same in the basketball world. Apparently they do not. But, hey, even if they didn’t, at least if you weren’t a success the fans wouldn’t kill you…I think.

Daily Poll: Who Will Win the Ivy?

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:02:09 -0700

Ivy Interview: Steve Donahue

Jon Teitel — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 19:30:30 -0700

Jon Teitel chats with Cornell head coach Steve Donahue about the upcoming Ivy League season.

Steve Donahue1. What are your team’s goals for this season?
A: Now that we have built the program to be competitive, the goals are always the same: win an Ivy League championship and go to the NCAA Tournament.

2. What are your team’s expectations for this season?
A: Play as hard as we can, be unselfish, and represent the program and the university in the best possible way.

3. What facet of the game is most important to your team’s success this season?
A: I believe we need to mesh the talented younger guys with our veterans. On the court, we need to take care of the ball better: more assists and less turnovers. Lastly, we need to be a better rebounding team.

4. Which non-conference opponent do you think will be your biggest challenge this year?
A: We play some terrific teams, but the ones that seem to jump out at me include Bucknell and Albany at home, and Iowa and Northwestern on the road.

5. Which of your 6 incoming freshmen (Louis Dale III, Jon Jaques, Geoff Reeves, Pete Reynolds, Alex Tyler, and Ryan Wittman) do you expect to make the biggest impact this season?
A: It is always tough to say this early in the pre-season. Wittman and Reeves will get a chance to play early because we need them to do so, and I think both will be very good Ivy League players. If he does not start, Dale will be our back-up point guard, and I believe he is going to be a terrific player at this level. The other front court guys will have to fight it out to see who gets time.

6. In light of the success of Ivy players from other countries like Graham Dow (Canada), do you think it is crucial to specifically recruit foreign-born players, or do you just want to get the guys who can best help your team win?
A: It is very difficult without scholarships to recruit foreign players outside of Canada (luckily for us, Canadians are treated like U.S. students).

7. Do you consider this season to be the usual two-team race between Penn and Princeton, or do you think another team can win the conference title this season?
A: Penn should be the favorite, but I think everyone should feel that they can compete for the championship.

8. After being named All-Ivy 2nd team as a freshman, how high is the ceiling for Adam Gore?
A: Gore has really worked hard to get where he is at. I know that some people feel he has limited potential because of his size, but I have seen improvement even since the season ended last March. He is a gym rat who is never satisfied, and I believe he will be a 1st-team All-Ivy player at some point in his career.

9. What is the latest update on Khaliq Gant, who suffered a neck injury during a practice last January?
A: It is hard to put into words, but it is nothing short of a miracle. Khaliq is walking around campus just like every other student. He is a huge part of the program, and his situation is an entire story in itself.

10. Do you think that your assistant coaches’ experience of playing in the Ivy League (Nat Graham) and in the Final Four (Mark Vershaw) gives them a big advantage over coaches who have not done so?
A: I feel that both guys are hard workers who know what it takes to be successful. However, I am sure the other staffs in the league have terrific coaches as well.

11. Having worked for Fran Dunphy for 10 of his 17 years at Penn, how do you expect the defending Ivy champs to do in their first year without him since the 1980's?
A: It is hard for me to judge. It is a different program right now: not better or worse, just different. Personally, I'm just glad to not have to play him twice a year!

12. You can probably relate to the rigors of taking classes at an Ivy League school better than most coaches: how are you making out in your efforts to get your Master’s degree in organizational dynamics from Penn?
A: Very difficult: I have 4 children under the age of 10, and my personal goals have been put on hold for the time being.

13. Who do you consider to be the favorite for Ivy Player of the Year?
A: Penn’s Ibby Jaaber.