Men’s Basketball 23-24

[Mr. Niss]

Cornell did a nice job of figuring out where they could be successful on offense, and they scored some points. Discipline kind of frayed with some questionable shots in the second half. On defense, there's a lot of reaching and sometimes little help on the ball. The full court press looked like it surprised them, and they didn't have a good answer right away. But all's well that ends well.

I have no comment about the officiating.

The lead never got below 10.  Sure, the second half wasn't ideal, and I was sharting my pants about the lead potentially being whittled away, but it didn't happen, as seems to happen in every other basketball game, college and pro.  So, all in all, IMO they did great in the second half, even if there are a few things to try to clean up.  This is the best win we've had in I don't know how long ... I'm sure there have been a couple since beating Temple and Wisconsin, but that's my reference point and I'm sticking with it.

[chimpfood]

What a statement, great crowd and a great win. A comfortable win when getting railed by the refs all game against a team as good as Princeton is very impressive. Not to mention we didn't have grey, one of our better players imo. We shut down lee aside from the fact that he himself had more free throws than our entire team.

[mike1960]

The lead never got below 10.  Sure, the second half wasn't ideal, and I was sharting my pants about the lead potentially being whittled away, but it didn't happen, as seems to happen in every other basketball game, college and pro.  So, all in all, IMO they did great in the second half, even if there are a few things to try to clean up.  This is the best win we've had in I don't know how long ... I'm sure there have been a couple since beating Temple and Wisconsin, but that's my reference point and I'm sticking with it.

You are right! I should add they did a really good job on the boards. Love to see those box outs. Also Nazir Williams was 4/4 on three-point shots, and 8/11 on field goals. I say let him keep shooting threes until he misses!

[scoop85]

Kudos to Brian Earl and his staff for building this team with guys who were, by and large, unheralded recruits with few if any other D1 offers. And how about walk-on AK Okereke who scored 12 points today? He fills an important roll on the team and is getting better each game.

While an Ivy League title is a long way off, it will be nice to see Cornell listed in this week's Joe Lunardi braketology (although we and Yale are both 4-0 in the league, I'm pretty sure our better overall record will give us he nod).

Meanwhile, the Penn faithful are calling for Donahue's scalp after the Quakers lost at Columbia to fall to 1-3 in the league. I thought he'd thrive back at Penn, but so far he hasn't recaptured the magic of his remarkable stretch at Cornell. And he may be running out of time.

[Swampy]

Williams Nails a 3-pointer

Blaine Aston once nailed a similar shot against Princeton from the other side of the key, IIRC.

[rss77]

Wasn't it our old friend, Big Red Fan (Of the late, lamented Cornell Basketball Blog) who said Zach Spiker, the current Drexel coach, was partially responsible while serving as an Assistant to Donahue.

[tycho]

Wow. Really should've set a reminder and a block of time for this one. A 30-5 run is remarkable. I'm going to have to go back and watch in full. Will next have a chance to avenge men's hockey in Hanover Friday night.

[billhoward]

Kudos to Brian Earl and his staff for building this team with guys who were, by and large, unheralded recruits with few if any other D1 offers. And how about walk-on AK Okereke who scored 12 points today? He fills an important roll on the team and is getting better each game.

While an Ivy League title is a long way off, it will be nice to see Cornell listed in this week's Joe Lunardi braketology (although we and Yale are both 4-0 in the league, I'm pretty sure our better overall record will give us he nod).

Meanwhile, the Penn faithful are calling for Donahue's scalp after the Quakers lost at Columbia to fall to 1-3 in the league. I thought he'd thrive back at Penn, but so far he hasn't recaptured the magic of his remarkable stretch at Cornell. And he may be running out of time.

Maybe Donahue's looking for a return gig at Cornell. If Brian Earl continues to be overly successful with a team of unheralded recruits, somebody's going to wave $750K-plus in his face. Maybe he bides his time for a return job at Princeton but as HC. He was patient, a decade as assistant coach for the Tigers.

[ugarte]

Kudos to Brian Earl and his staff for building this team with guys who were, by and large, unheralded recruits with few if any other D1 offers. And how about walk-on AK Okereke who scored 12 points today? He fills an important roll on the team and is getting better each game.

While an Ivy League title is a long way off, it will be nice to see Cornell listed in this week's Joe Lunardi braketology (although we and Yale are both 4-0 in the league, I'm pretty sure our better overall record will give us he nod).

Meanwhile, the Penn faithful are calling for Donahue's scalp after the Quakers lost at Columbia to fall to 1-3 in the league. I thought he'd thrive back at Penn, but so far he hasn't recaptured the magic of his remarkable stretch at Cornell. And he may be running out of time.

Maybe Donahue's looking for a return gig at Cornell. If Brian Earl continues to be overly successful with a team of unheralded recruits, somebody's going to wave $750K-plus in his face. Maybe he bides his time for a return job at Princeton but as HC. He was patient, a decade as assistant coach for the Tigers.

I don't think Princeton is dissatisfied in the least with who they have - and he's a Tiger alum too. If Earl's getting taken from us he's getting liftoff from the Ivies. I hope he sticks around, though.

[Mr. Niss]

- we moved up only 9 in Ken Pom with the win but Princeton fell like 15 spots -- we should have swapped spots*

- I legitimately felt Brian Earl should have been considered for coach of the year votes for the season coming out of Covid, when we were picked to be second-to-last in the Ivies and he implemented this run-and-gun style and had us in the Ivy tournament.  He's a great coach and I am surprised no big program has given him a look yet.  We are lucky to have had him as long as we have.

- I did not know that AK Okereke was a walk-on.  I didn't know that walk-on was even still a thing except for a kid to sit at the end of the bench, get a few minutes in the last game of the year, score and have the place go nuts.  Wow.

- Naz did not look right to start the season.  I've thought he was (or would be) the best player on the team since he was a freshman.  After the game, Brian was interviewed and mentioned a host of health issues with which Naz has had to deal since last year.  I was not aware of the extent.  He finally seems healthy, and it shows.  

- Jacob Beccles has been impressive and might be our future.

- I cannot believe Chris Manon didn't have an opportunity at a more prominent program.  I can't recall us ever having a player with his athletic ability.  

- I hope some of the seniors who still have a Covid year of eligibility play a fifth year somewhere notable.


(* I'm joking, but was hoping to be better than 101)

[George64]

I did not know that AK Okereke was a walk-on.  I didn't know that walk-on was even still a thing except for a kid to sit at the end of the bench, get a few minutes in the last game of the year, score and have the place go nuts.  Wow.

As I recall, back in the Donahue era, Louis Dale was a walk-on.  Whittman was under-recruited because of an injury his senior year and Jeff Foote transferred from St. Bonaventure where he had been a walk-on.  They got Cornell to the Sweet-sixteen and Donahue to BC, where he flopped.

That said, I hope Nicki Moore offers Earl a substantial contract extension.

[upprdeck]

well since Cornell has no scholies arent they all really walkons in some way?

[Al DeFlorio]

well since Cornell has no scholies arent they all really walkons in some way?

Think the difference is that Dale recruited himself by sending a video to Cornell.  Foote's mother recruited him for Cornell.  So Donahue, in a way, was presented with two of his big three studs on a platter.

[scoop85]

- we moved up only 9 in Ken Pom with the win but Princeton fell like 15 spots -- we should have swapped spots*

- I legitimately felt Brian Earl should have been considered for coach of the year votes for the season coming out of Covid, when we were picked to be second-to-last in the Ivies and he implemented this run-and-gun style and had us in the Ivy tournament.  He's a great coach and I am surprised no big program has given him a look yet.  We are lucky to have had him as long as we have.

- I did not know that AK Okereke was a walk-on.  I didn't know that walk-on was even still a thing except for a kid to sit at the end of the bench, get a few minutes in the last game of the year, score and have the place go nuts.  Wow.

- Naz did not look right to start the season.  I've thought he was (or would be) the best player on the team since he was a freshman.  After the game, Brian was interviewed and mentioned a host of health issues with which Naz has had to deal since last year.  I was not aware of the extent.  He finally seems healthy, and it shows.  

- Jacob Beccles has been impressive and might be our future.

- I cannot believe Chris Manon didn't have an opportunity at a more prominent program.  I can't recall us ever having a player with his athletic ability.  

- I hope some of the seniors who still have a Covid year of eligibility play a fifth year somewhere notable.


(* I'm joking, but was hoping to be better than 101)

Article from Okereke's HS days. COVID seems to have put a damper on his recruiting. But he sure can play.

[chimpfood]

I'm surprised he wasn't recruited just for being 6 foot 7 and 235 pounds of muscle.