Men’s basketball (17-10, 9-5 Ivy) concluded its regular season on Saturday afternoon with a 100-81 victory against last-place Columbia (12-15, 1-13 Ivy).
The Red finished second in the conference standings, exceeding its predicted place as fourth in the league behind Princeton, Yale, and Brown. This season marked the debut of new head coach Jon Jaques ’10, and it proved to be record-breaking. Jaques achieved the title of most successful first-season head coach with 17 wins and just ten losses.
The team celebrated Senior Night at Newman Arena, honoring Nazir Williams, Guy Ragland Jr., Chris Cain, Ryan Kiachin, and Hayden Franson for their contributions to the team.
Cornell dominated the entire forty minutes, preventing the Lions from taking the lead even once. From the first alley-oop from Williams to Cain, Newman Nation was electrified. Enjoying a breakout season, Williams continued to shine, recording 26 points, six rebounds, and four assists that night. Ragland Jr. added 15 points in a showcase of the seniors’ synergy.
Junior forward AK Okereke was the third player to reach double-digit points, totaling 21 points, and he also played a crucial defensive role with eight rebounds. Junior guard Cooper Noard was the fourth player to tally in the double digits, scoring 13 points and shooting 66 percent from beyond the arc.
Although the Lions attempted to narrow the gap multiple times in the second half, the Red stayed composed and returned to its fundamental playstyle to maintain its lead. The Red’s affinity for 3-point shots was evident, as the team netted 13 from behind the arc. Noard contributed two 3-pointers, one of which led to a four-point play, while Williams scored five consecutive points to conclude the scoring run.
The Red reached the 100-point mark with a layup from junior forward DJ Nix with less than a minute to go, marking the 35th occurrence in program history of scoring at least 100 points and the fourth instance under Jaques’ leadership.
The team now turns its focus to the Ivy Madness tournament, which will take place this weekend in Providence, Rhode Island, at Brown University. Cornell is scheduled to compete in the semifinals against Dartmouth on Saturday, March 15 at 2 p.m. So far this season, the Red has a 1-1 record against the Big Green. If the Red win, it will face the winner of the Yale and Princeton game on Sunday at 12 p.m.
The semifinal game will be available to watch on ESPNU, and if the Red advance to the championship, fans can catch it on ESPN2.
