Cornell men’s basketball dropped a 73-54 decision to Harvard on Saturday afternoon at Newman Arena as the Crimson pulled away in the second half to clinch a spot in Ivy Madness.
Cornell (12-12, 5-6 Ivy League) trailed by just one point at halftime but was outscored 48-30 over the final 20 minutes as Harvard shot 55.6 percent after the break. The loss leaves the Big Red tied for fourth place in the conference standings with two weekends remaining in the regular season.
Sophomore Anthony Nimani led Cornell with 18 points off the bench, converting 8-of-9 free-throw attempts. Seniors Jake Fiegen and Cooper Noard each added 11 points, while Kaspar Sepp recorded a team-high 10 rebounds.
The opening half featured six lead changes and four ties, with Cornell briefly taking an 18-16 advantage midway through the period. Despite shooting just 1-for-12 from three-point range before halftime, the Big Red remained within 25-24 at the break following a late Noard layup.
Cornell regained a 27-25 lead early in the second half before Harvard responded with an 8-0 run to take control. The Crimson continued to extend the margin behind efficient shooting and strong ball movement, finishing with assists on 23 of 25 field goals and holding Cornell to a season-low point total.
Cornell shot 36.4 percent overall and struggled from beyond the arc, making just 3-of-22 attempts.
The Big Red returns to action Friday, February 27, hosting defending Ivy League champion Yale at Newman Arena for a 6 p.m. tipoff.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].