While snow and freezing air wrapped around Newman Arena, men’s basketball turned the inside into something far warmer and far louder. From the opening tip, the Red played with pace, purpose and a sharp edge, cruising past Princeton (8-14, 4-3 Ivy) by a score of 87-64 on Friday night behind a dazzling offensive display and a defensive effort that set the tone from start to finish.
Cornell (10-10, 3-4 Ivy) never trailed, never hesitated and never cooled off, using blistering efficiency to secure its third straight Ivy League victory. In a twist that felt almost poetic, one of the nation’s top three-point shooting teams did its damage almost entirely at the rim with ball movement and relentless pressure in the paint. The result was one of the most proficient nights we’ve seen this season, and one of the most complete performances the Red has put together so far.
Shot after shot fell early and then kept falling. Cornell made 24 of its first 25 attempts inside the arc and finished the night shooting 63.6 percent from the floor, the 11th-best single-game mark in school history. The lead ballooned to 35 points in the second half as Princeton struggled to find answers on either end of the floor.
While the numbers dazzled, the foundation of the win was built on defense. Cornell smothered Princeton from the opening minutes, holding the Tigers to 40 percent shooting overall and under 34 percent before the starters exited late in the second half. The Red were active in passing lanes, physical at the point of attack and disciplined in help defense.
The team tallied seven steals and five blocked shots while consistently turning stops into scoring opportunities the other way.
Senior guard Cooper Noard, who was honored before tipoff for reaching the 1,000-point mark in his career, emphasized just how central that defensive effort was to Cornell’s success.
“So important,” Noard said. “That’s what we pride ourselves on. In the first three Ivy League games, we weren’t the team that we needed to be. When we’re at our best defensively, we really go on runs, and it creates so many opportunities for us on offense.”
Those runs came early and often. Cornell scored the game’s first basket and steadily widened the gap behind crisp ball movement and constant rim pressure. A double-digit lead arrived midway through the first half. The Red slammed the door before halftime with a dominant 22-6 closing stretch to take a 48-32 advantage into the locker room.
Cornell shot 19-28 from the field in the opening 20 minutes, moving the ball with confidence and attacking Princeton’s defense before it could get set.
The second half followed the same script, only louder. Cornell continued to push the tempo, scoring in transition and slicing through the Tigers in the half-court. The Red finished with 46 points in the paint and 18 fast-break points, turning 12 Princeton turnovers into 19 points. Every stop seemed to ignite another surge, and every basket fed the energy inside Newman Arena.
The scoring load was spread evenly across the lineup, reflecting the balance and cohesion Cornell has been building during its three-game Ivy League win streak. Senior guard Jake Fiegen led the way with 17 points on 7-10 shooting in just 23 minutes, a steady and efficient presence inside. Noard added 15 points of his own, while senior guard Josh Baldwin chipped in 13 points, four rebounds and three assists. Junior guard Jacob Beccles posted 12 points and five assists, and senior guard Adam Hinton rounded out the starters in double figures with 10 points of 4-5 from the paint and 2-3 from around the arc.
For Noard, the night added meaning beyond the scoreboard. Reaching 1,000 career points in front of the home crowd was a moment he’ll remember long after the final buzzer.
“Thanks to the coaches, thanks to the guys,” Noard said. “There’s so many people I could thank. The shot that I hit 1,000 on was pretty incredible too — I couldn’t have pictured it any better.”
As the lead swelled and the outcome became clear, Cornell emptied its bench with just under six minutes remaining, giving reserves a chance to soak in the moment and close out a statement win. Princeton, led by Jackson Hicke’s 13 points, struggled to slow Cornell’s rhythm despite getting 33 points from its bench, unable to counter the Red’s efficiency and defensive pressure.
By the final horn, the message was unmistakable. The Red walked off the floor having delivered a wire-to-wire performance fueled by defense, balance and a brand of basketball that looked increasingly confident with each possession.
Cornell will hit the road for yet another Ivy League matchup against Columbia on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 2 p.m. in New York City. The Red look to keep their momentum and get another win under their belt. All the action will be available live on ESPN+.
Sureya Lopez is a member of the Class of 2029 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a staff writer for the sports department and can be reached at slopez@cornellsun.com.
