The Cornell men’s basketball team extended its non-conference home win streak to 15 games thanks to four double-figure scorers to hold off Monmouth 91-87 on Wednesday evening at Newman Arena. The Big Red improved to 6-1 on the season, while the Hawks fell to 4-4.
Cooper Noard connected on all five field goal attempts, including four 3-pointers, and hit two clutch free throws in the final seconds to ensure the Big Red’s victory. His 17 points led the way, with Nazir Williams chipping in 15 along with five rebounds. Isaiah Gray scored 14 along with five assists and four rebounds, and Sean Hansen notched 11 points, four rebounds, and four assists in the victory. In all, 12 different Big Red players scored as the home team dished out 25 assists and shot 57 percent from the floor overall. Cornell connected on 11 3-pointers and shot a blistering 82 percent (23-of-28) inside the arc, including 13-of-15 in the second half.
Xander Rice led Monmouth with 27 points and six assists, while Jaret Valencia made 8-of-9 shots on his way to 19 points with six boards. The Hawks shot 53 percent and hit nine 3-pointers themselves, but could not overcome a 35-27 deficit on the backboards and a 41-20 disadvantage off the bench.
Cornell returns to action Saturday at 1 p.m. when they visit Lafayette.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].