ITHACA -- Hoping to duplicate the success of the last four weeks, the Cornell men's basketball team takes to the road this weekend.
The Big Red (10-11, 5-3 Ivy League) is at Dartmouth today and then travels to Harvard Saturday. Both games start at 7 p.m.
Cornell and Penn (14-7, 7-0) are the only teams with winning records in league play. Thanks to its recent run, the Big Red is one victory away from matching last year's overall and league win totals.
While the Quakers took a commanding three-game lead in the Ivy standings by beating the Big Red 64-50 last Saturday, Cornell took a lot away from the first half of its current four-game road trip.
"We know what it takes to play on the road," Cornell coach Steve Donahue said. "Even though we didn't win Saturday, we understand we have to take care of the basketball and be sharp for 40 minutes. We ran out of gas, not physically, but mentally."
The loss to Penn snapped a four-game winning streak. The streak began Jan. 30 against Dartmouth and ended with a historic win last Friday at Princeton.
The Big Red ended a 19-game losing skid at Jadwin Gymnasium, beating the Tigers 66-58. Cornell held Princeton scoreless for more than nine minutes during a 20-0 second-half run to rally for the victory.
Donahue believes defense will make all the difference the final six games of the season.
"The second half of the Princeton game was terrific. We were very active (defensively)," Donahue said. "We let up for one second against Penn and (Quaker guard Tim) Begley hurt us. (Begley scored 16 of his 24 points in the second half). For us to finish the season strong, we have to defend and challenge shots."
The defense had two entirely different games in the first meetings with Dartmouth (6-15, 3-5) and Harvard (9-12, 4-4). The Big Red limited Dartmouth, one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the league, to 1-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc on the way to a 63-58 victory at Newman Arena.
One day earlier, Harvard burned the Big Red by shooting 79 percent from the floor in the second half to win 74-65.
"We just have to play to our potential on defense," junior David Lisle said. "There have been a lot of times when teams have shot well against us. Princeton is the perfect example for us. But we came out in the second half, challenging shots and scrambling around."
Dartmouth has played well since last seeing Cornell, going 2-2 with wins over Princeton and Brown. Under first-year coach Terry Dunn, the Big Green have already won two more games than all of last year.
"They have improved," Donahue said. "They are playing better defensively. More guys are helping them defensively. I thought they were good the first time we played them."
Guard Mike Lang leads the team averaging 11.9 points per game. He is seventh in the league in 3-point percentage (40 percent). As a team, Dartmouth is third in the league in 3-pointers made. Cornell held Lang to seven points in the first meeting.
Center David Gardner is averaging 10.1 points per game. He led the Big Green with 14 points against Cornell.
"They feed off Gardner," said junior forward Jason Mitchell, who matched a career-high with five points in the first Dartmouth contest. "We just have to play good defense. We really don't have to worry about our offense. Our defense starts our offense."
The Big Red will have to find a way to slow down a pair of big men Saturday against Harvard. The Crimson's inside duo of Matt Stehle and Brian Cusworth hurt the Big Red in the first meeting. Stehle scored 16 points and added eight rebounds. Cusworth finished with 15 points, five rebounds and two blocks.
Cusworth and Stehle rank atop the league in rebounding, averaging 9.5 and 8.6 points per game, respectively.
Harvard has won three of its last five games, including victories against Princeton and Brown.
"Stehle does such a good job offensive rebounding," Donahue said. "We will be tested. We realize that."
The Big Red (10-11, 5-3 Ivy League) is at Dartmouth today and then travels to Harvard Saturday. Both games start at 7 p.m.
Cornell and Penn (14-7, 7-0) are the only teams with winning records in league play. Thanks to its recent run, the Big Red is one victory away from matching last year's overall and league win totals.
While the Quakers took a commanding three-game lead in the Ivy standings by beating the Big Red 64-50 last Saturday, Cornell took a lot away from the first half of its current four-game road trip.
"We know what it takes to play on the road," Cornell coach Steve Donahue said. "Even though we didn't win Saturday, we understand we have to take care of the basketball and be sharp for 40 minutes. We ran out of gas, not physically, but mentally."
The loss to Penn snapped a four-game winning streak. The streak began Jan. 30 against Dartmouth and ended with a historic win last Friday at Princeton.
The Big Red ended a 19-game losing skid at Jadwin Gymnasium, beating the Tigers 66-58. Cornell held Princeton scoreless for more than nine minutes during a 20-0 second-half run to rally for the victory.
Donahue believes defense will make all the difference the final six games of the season.
"The second half of the Princeton game was terrific. We were very active (defensively)," Donahue said. "We let up for one second against Penn and (Quaker guard Tim) Begley hurt us. (Begley scored 16 of his 24 points in the second half). For us to finish the season strong, we have to defend and challenge shots."
The defense had two entirely different games in the first meetings with Dartmouth (6-15, 3-5) and Harvard (9-12, 4-4). The Big Red limited Dartmouth, one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the league, to 1-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc on the way to a 63-58 victory at Newman Arena.
One day earlier, Harvard burned the Big Red by shooting 79 percent from the floor in the second half to win 74-65.
"We just have to play to our potential on defense," junior David Lisle said. "There have been a lot of times when teams have shot well against us. Princeton is the perfect example for us. But we came out in the second half, challenging shots and scrambling around."
Dartmouth has played well since last seeing Cornell, going 2-2 with wins over Princeton and Brown. Under first-year coach Terry Dunn, the Big Green have already won two more games than all of last year.
"They have improved," Donahue said. "They are playing better defensively. More guys are helping them defensively. I thought they were good the first time we played them."
Guard Mike Lang leads the team averaging 11.9 points per game. He is seventh in the league in 3-point percentage (40 percent). As a team, Dartmouth is third in the league in 3-pointers made. Cornell held Lang to seven points in the first meeting.
Center David Gardner is averaging 10.1 points per game. He led the Big Green with 14 points against Cornell.
"They feed off Gardner," said junior forward Jason Mitchell, who matched a career-high with five points in the first Dartmouth contest. "We just have to play good defense. We really don't have to worry about our offense. Our defense starts our offense."
The Big Red will have to find a way to slow down a pair of big men Saturday against Harvard. The Crimson's inside duo of Matt Stehle and Brian Cusworth hurt the Big Red in the first meeting. Stehle scored 16 points and added eight rebounds. Cusworth finished with 15 points, five rebounds and two blocks.
Cusworth and Stehle rank atop the league in rebounding, averaging 9.5 and 8.6 points per game, respectively.
Harvard has won three of its last five games, including victories against Princeton and Brown.
"Stehle does such a good job offensive rebounding," Donahue said. "We will be tested. We realize that."
