ITHACA, N.Y. – It took over nine minutes for Colgate to make its first second-half field goal and Cornell turned a double-digit deficit into a double-digit victory 78-68 on Tuesday night at Newman Arena.
 
Colgate (1-2) led the first half from start to finish and built a 12-point lead 35-23 when Jack Ferguson drained his second of back-to-back 3-pointers with just under four minutes left in the opening stanza.
 
But the final 3:50 belonged to Cornell and showed signs of things to come in the second half. A Cummings layup was Colgate's only field goal over the last four minutes and the Big Red cut the gap all the way down to 38-36 at the intermission.
 
Colgate started the second half 0-for-12 from the field, eight of which came from inside the arc. 
 
Keegan Records kept the Raiders within reach with six blocks during the tough offensive stretch, but eventually Cornell's shots started falling. It was a five-point game when Colgate turned the ball over on three straight possessions which the Big Red cashed in for nine points.
 
Ryan Moffatt connected on Colgate's first and only 3-pointer of the second half with 1:16 left. That cut Cornell's lead to single digits (9), but Cornell made enough free throws to secure the 78-68 victory.
 
Cornell (3-0) did not shoot much better in the second half, finishing with 14 field goals to Colgate's 13, but long stretches without a basket and Cornell's 14 free throws to Colgate's four made the difference.
 
Nelly Cummings scored 20 points for the second time in three games to lead the Raiders offensively. Ferguson (13) and Tucker Richardson (11) were also in double figures. Records' six blocks were a career high.
 
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Matt Langel
 
"College basketball is fragile. To win a game is hard. Tonight, we didn't play well and Cornell had a lot to do with that. Their style of play, physicality, tempo and belief certainly affected us. Yes, we didn't make shots, but we didn't do what was necessary to control the rhythm of the game, especially late in the first half and most of the second half. Every game takes on its own identity and we didn't adjust to tonight's game appropriately. In that, we had some uncharacteristic mistakes at both ends of the court that cost us dearly."
 
UP NEXT
Colgate returns to the court on Thursday when the Raiders host SUNY Poly at 7 p.m. at Cotterell Court.