After a season of hard-fought games, men’s basketball (18-11, 9-5 Ivy) found itself in Providence, Rhode Island, competing in the annual Ivy Madness tournament. The Red’s second-place finish in conference play had set the stage for a potential championship victory, a feat the team hadn't achieved since its memorable Sweet Sixteen run in 2010.
Despite having momentum on their side, the Red fell short against regular-season champions Yale (22-8, 13-2 Ivy) in the championship game. This marked the Red's first appearance in the Ivy Madness final—and its last game of the year.
Ahead of the game against the Big Green (14-14, 8-6 Ivy), Jaques, senior guard Nazir Williams and senior forward Guy Ragland Jr. took some time to answer questions during a press conference.
“We’re super grateful and excited to be here,” Jaques said. “It says a lot about the group we have.”
Despite its past experiences in the tournament, the team was determined to break its streak of not achieving the ultimate goal of making it to the NCAA March Madness tournament. As Ragland Jr. put it, “We’ve been here many times but have never been able to achieve what we want to.”
Williams, reflecting on the team's performance, noted, “We’re finding our groove at the right time.” The team was on a winning streak, starkly contrasting to previous years when, as said by Williams, it “limped into the tournament and didn’t finish strong.”
Since the tournament's inception in 2017, Cornell had never been seeded higher than the No. 3 spot. This year, it had a slight advantage as the higher seed in the first round of Ivy Madness.
Still, Jaques acknowledged Dartmouth’s fantastic season, saying, “Dartmouth is a really good team — there’s a reason they are here. We have a lot of respect for them. We both play fast and want to take good shots. We are both unselfish teams.”
The team faced Dartmouth in an exciting matchup on Saturday, securing an 87-71 victory and achieving its first-ever place in the championship game. Junior forward AK Okereke made program history, scoring 25 points and becoming the first Cornell player to achieve at least four steals, assists, blocks and rebounds in a single game.
The win showcased a collective team effort as Williams and sophomore guard Jake Fiegen scored in double digits while Ragland Jr. and junior guard Cooper Noard each contributed nine points. Off the bench, junior guard Adam Hinton added seven points and made an impact defensively with four rebounds in just 16 minutes on the floor.
The Red recorded 18 assists with just nine turnovers as a team, highlighting its ability to create efficient playmaking opportunities.
The team’s usual playmaking style wasn’t hindered too much by Dartmouth’s nationally-top-10 3-point defense, as it still managed to hit 10 shots from beyond the arc.
Jaques reiterated his respect for the Big Green and their season after the game.
“I’m proud of the guys and the effort today,” Jaques said. “Dartmouth is a really, really good team.”
On Sunday, the team reached the championship game, but its hopes of making it to the NCAA tournament were cut short by a heartbreaking loss to the nearly undefeated Yale team. The Red fought hard to stay competitive throughout the game, but Yale pulled away in the final minutes, securing a 90-84 victory.
Once again, Okereke led the offense with 22 points, while Williams, Ragland Jr. and Fiegen reached double digits.
While Yale secured an automatic bid to the tournament, the Red hoped to hear its name called for the NCAA National Invitational Tournament, as it did last year when it traveled to play Ohio State. However, Cornell was left out when the bracket was released Sunday evening, bringing the season to an unfortunate end.
Despite the disappointment, the season achieved several milestones. The team secured its first ACC win in over 70 years against the University of California, Berkeley, and earned key victories in conference matchups, including two against Princeton. Jaques cemented his place in program history, earning the title of the most successful first-year head coach.
Additionally, three players earned All-Ivy recognition. Okereke and Williams were named to the Second-Team All-Ivy, while Cooper Noard received an honorable mention and was named to the Academic All-Ivy team.
With five pivotal players graduating, the team dynamics will face a shift next season, but both the remaining players and coaching staff seem optimistic about the ability to adapt. “We have confidence in ourselves and confidence in each other,” Okereke said.
