Cornell men’s basketball couldn’t hold a double-digit second-half lead on Sunday night, falling 93-90 at Samford as the Bulldogs stormed back behind a pair of standout scoring performances. The Big Red dropped to 5-5, while Samford moved to 5-6.
Cornell was led by senior Cooper Noard, who finished with 23 points, while Adam Hinton added 16 points and six rebounds. Josh Baldwin scored 12, Jacob Beccles contributed 10 points and five assists, and Jake Fiegen collected nine points and a career-best 10 rebounds before fouling out. The Big Red shot 42 percent overall, made 13 three-pointers, and held a 42-37 advantage on the glass.
Samford matched Cornell’s 32 made field goals but created separation at the free-throw line, converting 23-of-33 attempts compared to Cornell’s 13-of-19. Jadin Booth powered the Bulldogs with 30 points, while Dylan Faulkner dominated inside with a 23-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Cornell led 50-42 at halftime and stretched the margin to 63-48 with just over 14 minutes remaining. Samford responded with a pivotal 19-4 surge to pull even at 67-67. The Big Red briefly tied the game again at 77 with five minutes left, but the Bulldogs regained control and never trailed in the final stretch.
Cornell cut the deficit to two in the closing seconds on a tip-in and free throw from Fiegen and a late three from Ian Imegwu, but Samford converted enough free throws late to hold on.
The Big Red return from a two-week exam break on December 21 when they travel to UAlbany.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].