Stony Brook senior Dave Coley has long been one of the team’s most important players. From his natural ability to score to his hard-nosed play on defense, he paces the Seawolves on both ends of the floor.
Coley surpassed the 1,000-point mark for his career in Stony Brook’s 76-54 win over Cornell on Sunday, becoming the 22nd player and just the 5th in the program’s Division-I history to reach that mark. Coley, who lead the team with 15 points, surpassed the mark with a three-pointer with 8:26 left in the game and now has 1,001 points in his career.
“I just wanted to come out and play as hard as I can and do whatever I can to help my team win,” said Coley, who said he wasn’t aware he was close to the milestone. “When I heard it announced over the loudspeaker, I was honored; it’s a great milestone to reach as a player. If it wasn’t for Coach Pikiell I never would’ve done it.”
“First of all he’s a great kid,” coach Steve Pikiell said. “He’s really matured, he’s gonna graduate in May. He’s come a long way as a player, but most importantly he’s a great kid and he’s gonna graduate, and that’s what I’m most proud of.”
From his freshman year to now, Coley said he dedicatedthe majority of his time to becoming a better player.
“When I first came in, I was a rookie who didn’t know a lot,” he said. “But I practiced hard, I watched film, I got better. Hours in the film room, hours in the gym, just learning the game of basketball. A lot of that helped me become the player I am, and I still have more room to grow.”
Coley led a balanced Seawolves attack that saw 10 players score at least one point. Jameel Warney had 14 points and seven rebounds, Carson Puriefoy scored 13 off the bench and Ahmad Walker added 11. Eric McAlister chipped in with nine points and 11 rebounds.
For Cornell, it was the 11th loss of the season as the Big Red are still in search of their first win. Freshman Darryl Smith was a spark off the bench with 11 points and seven rebounds. Devin Cherry added 11 as no other player reached double-figures.
Stony Brook’s defense did a great job keeping the ball out of the paint and making Cornell take contested shots. The Big Red was held to 19.4% from beyond the arc on 6-for-31 shooting.
“Cornell is a good team, and their weapon is the three-point shot,” Coley said. “So no matter how much we were up, they were never out of the game. So our main focuses were to run them off the three-point line and keep them out of the lane, and I think we were fortunate to do that.”
It has been a struggle for the Seawolves to adjust to the new rules that don’t allow hand-checking; they allowed their opponents to shoot 35 free throws in the last game. But today, Cornell got to the line just 11 times. So what was different in today’s game?
“Great refereeing,” Pikiell joked. “We try to defend without fouling all the time, some games it doesn’t work that way. I thought we did a good job today. They take a lot of threes, there are more opportunities to foul a team that drives the ball rather than a team that takes 31 threes”
The Seawolves outrebounded the Big Red 47-32, including 17 offensive rebounds for 19 second-chance points. They also scored 19 points off 13 turnovers and are now 30-2 in their last 32 games in Pritchard Gymnasium.
Cornell will return to action Saturday against St. Peter’s. For the Seawolves, they will enjoy a long break until they face one of the toughest teams on their schedule, VCU on Jan. 3.
“Just because we’re relaxing doesn’t mean we’re not thinking about the next game,” Coley said. “When we come back, it’s right back to business.”
Dave Coley got two front teeth knocked out last month at the 2K Sports Classic in Detroit, courtesy of an elbow. Two days later, he got the same teeth jarred loose with a head butt.
Most players would have taken a seat on the bench. The Stony Brook senior barely came off the court.
"I was mad at first,'' Coley said, grinning. "The important thing is I still got that million-dollar smile.''
That's the kind of toughness Coley has brought to the Seawolves in his career. On Sunday night, still wearing a bridge to hold the teeth in, he led Stony Brook to a 76-54 win over Cornell at Pritchard Gymnasium. It was a milestone effort, as the Brooklyn native scored his 1,000th career point. Coley called it "an honor.''
"It's one of the reasons we recruited him -- he's a tough kid,'' Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell said. "He hasn't been given a lot in his life. He's worked for everything.''
Coley had 15 points in what Pikiell described as a "dangerous'' game for the Seawolves (9-4). It was Stony Brook's final contest until Jan. 3 at VCU, and Cornell (0-11) isn't as bad as its record.
"You always worry this time of year,'' Pikiell said. "They just finished finals, guys are making plans to go home.''
Jameel Warney had 14 points, Carson Puriefoy added 13 points off the bench, Ahmad Walker scored 12 points and Eric McAlister added nine points and 11 rebounds for Stony Brook.
Devin Cherry and Darryl Smith each had 11 points for Cornell.
Coley played 31 minutes, less than each of the three games at the 2K Sports Classic, when he had his dental issues. In the third game, he played 40 minutes and scored 14 points in the Seawolves' triple-overtime win over Detroit, the game in which he took the head butt.
"He's our senior captain,'' Warney said. "He's shown great leadership."
The 6-2 lockdown defender played a pivotal role on Stony Brook's America East regular-season championship teams the previous two years. And he's gotten better through hours and hours in the gym and video room.
"I would've never said that year one, and now I think he's the best defender in the league,'' Pikiell said.
Clearly, there isn't much that can keep him off the court.
"I got a little bit of toughness in me,'' Coley said. "A little bit. Not a whole lot.''
Way more than most.
Stony Brook, N.Y. - Senior Dave Coley (Brooklyn, N.Y.) led the Stony Brook men's basketball team with 15 points, including his 1000th career point, and sophomore Jameel Warney (Plainfield, N.J.) produced 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting as the #Seawolves handled Cornell, 76-54, Sunday evening at sold-out Pritchard Gymnasium.
Coley becomes the 22nd player in Stony Brook's all-time history and just the fifth in the program's Div. I history to record 1,000 career points.
Stony Brook improves to 9-4 on the season and has now won 30 of its last 32 games at Pritchard. The 9-4 start matches last season's team for best start in the program's Div. I history. Cornell falls to 0-11 on the year.
Head Coach Steve Pikiell's Reaction
"I was happy with our effort and energy on the floor tonight in front of a great home crowd. I liked our defense. We forced them into tough shots and didn't give them many open looks. I'm proud of Dave for his accomplishment. He's a leader on this team, and he's really grown in his four years here. A thousand points is hard to do in college basketball, and he's earned it."
Turning Point
Stony Brook led for all but 10 seconds in the game. Cornell used a 15-3 run to tie the game at 18-18 with 7:07 left in the first half.
From there, it was all #Seawolves, who went on an 18-2 run that was led off by Warney's quick layup off a pass from Coley, who then hit a pair of free throws and later drained the first of three three-pointers on the night. The #Seawolves led 36-20 with 1:15 left in the first half, took a 38-24 lead into halftime and then built a 30-point, second-half lead when Coley hit the three-pointer that pushed him over the 1,000-point mark and senior Eric McAlister (Hightstown, N.J.) nailed a jumper that made it 69-39.
Stony Brook, which held Cornell to 34.5 percent shooting, went on to win by 22.
Inside the Numbers
- Stony Brook shot 41.4% from the field, 37.5% (6-for-16) from three-point range and 73.3% (22-for-30) from the free throw line.
- The #Seawolves limited Cornell to 34.5% shooting overall and just 19.4% (6-for-31) from behind the arc.
- Stony Brook outrebounded Cornell, 47-32, and used 17 offensive rebounds to earn 19 second chance points.
- Coley's 15 points were a season high, and he now has scored in double figures in eighth of the last nine games. Stony Brook is 35-13 all-time when he scores 10 or more points.
- Warney was 6-for-8 from the field and scored 14 points.
- McAlister had nine points and a career-high 11 rebounds.
- Redshirt freshman Ahmad Walker (Port Washington, N.Y.) posted 12 points and made six of seven shots from the free throw line.
- Sophomore Carson Puriefoy (Wenonah, N.J.) scored 13 points off the bench.
- Coley is the 22nd Stony Brook player and just the fifth in the program's Div. I history to score 1,000 points in his career. The last #Seawolves player to do it was Bryan Dougher (2008-12).
- Stony Brook is now 4-4 all-time against Cornell and has won three straight in the series.
- The #Seawolves are now 18-15 all-time against Ivy League members.
- The 9-4 start equals the 2012-13 team for best start in the program's Div. I history.
- The #Seawolves are now 8-0 this season when they outbound their opponent.
- Stony Brook is 5-1 at home this season and 30-2 in its last 32 games at Pritchard Gymnasium.
- The #Seawolves are 47-5 since the start of the 2011-12 season when leading at halftime.
- Stony Brook is 3-0 this season and 83-18 during head coach Steve Pikiell's tenure when holding an opponent under 60 points.
STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Two-time defending America East champion Stony Brook dominated on the glass and overpowered Cornell 76-54 on Sunday evening at Pritchard Gymnasium. The Seawolves improved to 9-4, matching its best 13-game start in program history. The Big Red slipped to 0-11.
Junior Devin Cherry and freshman Darryl Smith each had 11 points, with Smith setting a new career high with his team-best seven rebounds. Stony Brook controlled the backboards in the win with a 47-32 edge, including 17-9 on the offensive end. Cherry added four rebounds, three assists and three steals and Nolan Cressler had eight points, five boards, three assists and two steals. The Big Red shot 35 percent from the floor and struggled to a 6-of-31 night from 3-point range.
Stony Brook had four players in double figures, with Dave Coley leading the way with 15 points, including the 1,000th of his career. Jameel Warney had 14 points and seven rebounds, while Carson Puriefoy notched 13 points. Ahmad Walker chipped in 12 and Eric McAlister had nine points and a game-best 11 rebounds for the home team.
Stony Brook scored the game's first eight points and controlled the first six minutes, building its lead to 15-3 before the Big Red got back in it. A pair of Cherry driving layups sandwiched a 3-pointer by Darryl Smith and it was back to 15-10 by the under-12 minute timeout. The Cornell run extended to 13-2 by the time Cressler drove the lane and finished to make it 17-16. The Big Red got all the way back to tie the game at 18-18 after Scelfo banked in a runner at the end of the shot clock with 7:07 left.
The Seawolves answered the Cornell run with one of its own, and in the process all but put the game away.
The Big Red scored on a nice feed from Devin Cherry to Ned Tomic at the buzzer, but it only cut the halftime deficit to 14 (38-24) at the break.
Smith had a strong first half, as the freshman had seven points and four rebounds, the latter setting a new career high. Tomic also had four points at the break, just one basket off his career-best. The Big Red shot 36 percent from the floor and the home team controlled the backboards (23-15), especially on the offensive glass (8-3). Dave Coley had nine points to lead a balanced offense that saw seven players reach the scoring column. Warney had an efficient six points and six rebounds, while Carson Puriefoy notched seven points for the Seawolves.
Stony Brook led by as many as 30 points in the second half, though Cornell's starters played their best four minutes of energy basketball late in the game. Dwight Tarwater had a pair of offensive rebounds, Cherry had a steal and two fastbreak layups and David Onuorah had a vicious block, an offensive board and four points to chip away at what was an insurmountable lead.
The Big Red returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 28 when it faces Saint Peter's at 2 p.m. in Jersey City, N.J. The Peacocks won the first-ever meeting between the teams a year ago with a 68-64 win a year ago in Newman Arena.
Junior Devin Cherry and freshman Darryl Smith each had 11 points, with Smith setting a new career high with his team-best seven rebounds. Stony Brook controlled the backboards in the win with a 47-32 edge, including 17-9 on the offensive end. Cherry added four rebounds, three assists and three steals and Nolan Cressler had eight points, five boards, three assists and two steals. The Big Red shot 35 percent from the floor and struggled to a 6-of-31 night from 3-point range.
Stony Brook had four players in double figures, with Dave Coley leading the way with 15 points, including the 1,000th of his career. Jameel Warney had 14 points and seven rebounds, while Carson Puriefoy notched 13 points. Ahmad Walker chipped in 12 and Eric McAlister had nine points and a game-best 11 rebounds for the home team.
Stony Brook scored the game's first eight points and controlled the first six minutes, building its lead to 15-3 before the Big Red got back in it. A pair of Cherry driving layups sandwiched a 3-pointer by Darryl Smith and it was back to 15-10 by the under-12 minute timeout. The Cornell run extended to 13-2 by the time Cressler drove the lane and finished to make it 17-16. The Big Red got all the way back to tie the game at 18-18 after Scelfo banked in a runner at the end of the shot clock with 7:07 left.
The Seawolves answered the Cornell run with one of its own, and in the process all but put the game away.
The Big Red scored on a nice feed from Devin Cherry to Ned Tomic at the buzzer, but it only cut the halftime deficit to 14 (38-24) at the break.
Smith had a strong first half, as the freshman had seven points and four rebounds, the latter setting a new career high. Tomic also had four points at the break, just one basket off his career-best. The Big Red shot 36 percent from the floor and the home team controlled the backboards (23-15), especially on the offensive glass (8-3). Dave Coley had nine points to lead a balanced offense that saw seven players reach the scoring column. Warney had an efficient six points and six rebounds, while Carson Puriefoy notched seven points for the Seawolves.
Stony Brook led by as many as 30 points in the second half, though Cornell's starters played their best four minutes of energy basketball late in the game. Dwight Tarwater had a pair of offensive rebounds, Cherry had a steal and two fastbreak layups and David Onuorah had a vicious block, an offensive board and four points to chip away at what was an insurmountable lead.
The Big Red returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 28 when it faces Saint Peter's at 2 p.m. in Jersey City, N.J. The Peacocks won the first-ever meeting between the teams a year ago with a 68-64 win a year ago in Newman Arena.
The Cornell men’s basketball team made a bit of dubious history Sunday evening, falling at Stony Brook, 76-54, to set a program record for consecutive games lost.
The Big Red, which dropped to 0-11 on the season, has lost 17 consecutive games dating to late last season. The losing streak eclipses the previous record of 16 games, set in the 1972-73 season.
Nolan Cressler, Cornell’s leading scorer at 17.1 points per game entering Sunday, was held to 11 points. Freshman guard Darryl Smith also had 11 to share the team lead.
Four players scored in double-figures for the Seawolves (9-4), led by Dave Coley with 15 points. Jameel Warney, Stony Brook’s scoring leader entering the game (16.1 ppg.), added 14 points and seven rebounds, Carson Puriefoy chipped in 13 points and Ahmad Walker added 12.
After falling behind 8-0, the Big Red rallied to tie the score at 18 on a Dominick Scelfo jump shot with seven minutes to go before halftime. But the home team finished the half on a 20-6 run to take a 14-point lead into the locker room, and the Seawolves never looked back.
The lead grew to as many as 30 points in the second half as Cornell yielded at least 75 points for the eighth time this season. Big Red opponents were averaging 85.7 points entering Sunday’s game.
Cornell travels to Jersey City, N.J., on Saturday to take on Saint Peter’s College. The Peacocks are 3-7 following a 66-56 loss at the University of Hartford on Sunday.
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