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ALBANY – Senior forward Shonn Miller scored 26 points and sophomore guard Robert Hatter added 21 as Cornell raced away from Siena 75-57 on Tuesday night before a crowd of 5,973 at the Times Union Center, sending the Saints to a fourth straight loss.
Hatter matched his season high in scoring, hitting half his eight field goal attempts and sinking 12 of 13 from the line. The 6-foot-7 Miller — who’s averaged 24 points in his last three games — also connected on 9 of 18 from the field and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds, including 13 off the defensive glass.
Cornell (6-5) had more defensive rebounds — 33 — than Siena’s total of 31. The aggressive rebounding was a factor in Siena’s chilly 16-of-52 shooting.
Evan Hymes scored a season-high 18 points for Siena (3-7) and Javion Ogunyemi added 12.
Siena led for long stretches of the first half but the Big Red outscored the Saints 13-6 over the last 91/2 minutes of the period to take a 27-26 lead at the break.
Miller opened the second half with a 3-pointer to spark the visitors’ second-half surge. Cornell made all four of its 3-pointers in the second half en route to outscoring its hosts, 48-31, in the second 20 minutes.
Cornell, which has won four of its last five, hosts Saint Peter’s University at 4 p.m. Sunday in Newman Arena, then travels to Syracuse on New Year’s Eve for a 6 p.m. tip-off with the Orange in the Carrier Dome.
ALBANY, N.Y. -- A dominating defensive effort and a pair of 20-point scorers lifted Cornell to its fourth win in five games, running away from Siena after halftime for a 75-57 victory on Tuesday evening at the Times Union Center. The Big Red gave senior Galal Cancer an early Christmas gift in a return to his hometown while improving to 6-5. Siena fell to 3-7 with the loss.
Two days after scoring a career-high 28 points, Miller scored 26 points and grabbed a career-best 15 rebounds to lead the Big Red. Sophomore Robert Hatter also scored 21 points, including hitting 12-of-13 from the free-throw line. As a team, Cornell hit an impressive 25-of-28 from the charity stripe.
It wasn't as impressive as the team's defensive effort.
Cornell held Siena to 31 percent shooting overall, including 27 percent after halftime, and 25 percent from beyond the 3-point arc (5-of-20). The Saints turned the ball over just 10 times, but the Big Red made them pay when they did, scoring 15 points off the miscues. After struggling on the offensive end over the first 20 minutes, Cornell improved upon its defensive effort while hitting 64 percent of its shots after halftime, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc after going 0-for-6 in the first half.
Cancer, playing in front of family and friends in the arena where he won a state title at Christian Brothers Academy, had five points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and a blocked shot in just 14 minutes before fouling out. Devin Cherry and Darryl Smith chipped in seven points apiece.
Siena got 18 points from Evan Hymes, while Javion Ogunyemi had 12 and Ryan Oliver notched 10. Leading scorers Rob Poole (2-of-12 shooting) and Marquis Wright (1-of-5 shooting) were held to just six points each, with Miller doing a lion's share of the work on Poole and both Hatter and Smith defending Wright.
Nothing in the first half, with the exception of Cornell's defensive intensity, hinted at the run the Big Red would put on Siena after the break. Sloppy play, including five turnovers in the game's first four minutes and nine total in the half, allowed the home team to build an early six-point lead at 20-14 after Rob Poole converted a three-point play with 9:28 left in the half. Cancer, meanwhile, scored the first five points of the night for Cornell before sitting down less than six minutes in.
The Big Red came roaring back, evening the game a minute and a half after Poole's and-1, regaining the lead as part of a 9-0 run that included seven points from Miller, including the tying and go-ahead baskets, the latter a three-point play. The teams traded leads the rest of the way, with the Big Red taking a 27-26 edge into the break when freshman Pat Smith, who less than a minute earlier had his number called for the first time, hit a driving layup for his first varsity points.
Miller opened the second half with an NBA 3-pointer to push the lead to four, and after Oliver answered with a layup to get back within two, Cornell methodically built its lead. A pair of Darryl Smith free throws made it a nine-point game, Cherry hit a 3-pointer to go up nine and force a Siena timeout and Hatter's layup on a feed from Cancer made it an 11-point game. By the time Hatter hit four consecutive free throws after a Siena foul and technical arguing the call, the Big Red led by 15 with 10:21 remaining.
Siena never got within single digits the rest of the way.
Cornell ran succinct, effective halfcourt offense while draining the clock in the final six minutes, repeatedly getting good shots after getting defensive stops on the other end. The Saints made just three field goals in the final nine minutes, and Cornell scored following each Siena basket, not allowing the nearly 6,000 fans at the Times Union Center to get their team back in the game.
Cornell will take a short break from competition before it returns home to face another MAAC school in Saint Peter's on Sunday, Dec. 28 at 4 p.m. at Newman Arena. The Peacocks lead the all-time series between the schools 2-0.
Two days after scoring a career-high 28 points, Miller scored 26 points and grabbed a career-best 15 rebounds to lead the Big Red. Sophomore Robert Hatter also scored 21 points, including hitting 12-of-13 from the free-throw line. As a team, Cornell hit an impressive 25-of-28 from the charity stripe.
It wasn't as impressive as the team's defensive effort.
Cornell held Siena to 31 percent shooting overall, including 27 percent after halftime, and 25 percent from beyond the 3-point arc (5-of-20). The Saints turned the ball over just 10 times, but the Big Red made them pay when they did, scoring 15 points off the miscues. After struggling on the offensive end over the first 20 minutes, Cornell improved upon its defensive effort while hitting 64 percent of its shots after halftime, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc after going 0-for-6 in the first half.
Cancer, playing in front of family and friends in the arena where he won a state title at Christian Brothers Academy, had five points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and a blocked shot in just 14 minutes before fouling out. Devin Cherry and Darryl Smith chipped in seven points apiece.
Siena got 18 points from Evan Hymes, while Javion Ogunyemi had 12 and Ryan Oliver notched 10. Leading scorers Rob Poole (2-of-12 shooting) and Marquis Wright (1-of-5 shooting) were held to just six points each, with Miller doing a lion's share of the work on Poole and both Hatter and Smith defending Wright.
Nothing in the first half, with the exception of Cornell's defensive intensity, hinted at the run the Big Red would put on Siena after the break. Sloppy play, including five turnovers in the game's first four minutes and nine total in the half, allowed the home team to build an early six-point lead at 20-14 after Rob Poole converted a three-point play with 9:28 left in the half. Cancer, meanwhile, scored the first five points of the night for Cornell before sitting down less than six minutes in.
The Big Red came roaring back, evening the game a minute and a half after Poole's and-1, regaining the lead as part of a 9-0 run that included seven points from Miller, including the tying and go-ahead baskets, the latter a three-point play. The teams traded leads the rest of the way, with the Big Red taking a 27-26 edge into the break when freshman Pat Smith, who less than a minute earlier had his number called for the first time, hit a driving layup for his first varsity points.
Miller opened the second half with an NBA 3-pointer to push the lead to four, and after Oliver answered with a layup to get back within two, Cornell methodically built its lead. A pair of Darryl Smith free throws made it a nine-point game, Cherry hit a 3-pointer to go up nine and force a Siena timeout and Hatter's layup on a feed from Cancer made it an 11-point game. By the time Hatter hit four consecutive free throws after a Siena foul and technical arguing the call, the Big Red led by 15 with 10:21 remaining.
Siena never got within single digits the rest of the way.
Cornell ran succinct, effective halfcourt offense while draining the clock in the final six minutes, repeatedly getting good shots after getting defensive stops on the other end. The Saints made just three field goals in the final nine minutes, and Cornell scored following each Siena basket, not allowing the nearly 6,000 fans at the Times Union Center to get their team back in the game.
Cornell will take a short break from competition before it returns home to face another MAAC school in Saint Peter's on Sunday, Dec. 28 at 4 p.m. at Newman Arena. The Peacocks lead the all-time series between the schools 2-0.
Shonn Miller had 26 points and 15 rebounds and Cornell shot 64% from the field in the second half of its 75-57 win over Siena at Times Union Center. The Saints celebrated their 2-millionith fan all-time in their downtown Albany home as part of the 5,973 people who pushed through the turnstiles Tuesday night.
"If it doesn't change, we won't win," Siena head coach Jimmy Patsos said. "We did some really good things tonight. Then all of a sudden we stopped doing them. Our shooting is really disappointing, because we were a good shooting team, and some of those shots were open."
Siena played with just eight scholarship players for the second straight game due to injuries and a suspension. They made just 16-52 shots, their second consecutive 30% effort from the field.
Leading scorer Rob Poole made just 2-12 shots, including 1-8 three pointers, and second-leading scorer Marquis Wright was 1-5 from the field, but did assist on nine of the team's 16 field goals and played all 40 minutes.
Evan Hymes poured in a season-high 18 points in 29 minutes.
Cornell led 27-26 at halftime, and Siena got a stop on the first possession of the second half. But Poole missed a three-pointer, and the Big Red scored 24 of the next 36 points to take command.
Cornell led by double digits for the final 11:24 and handed the Saints their worst loss at Times Union Center in 22 games, when Patsos-coached Loyola (Md.) coasted to an 80-57 win here on February 16, 2013.
"At some point it's just the will to win; the proud program has a will to win," Patsos said. "I don't see anything negative, but I don't see anything positive. I just see this vanilla blend. I see this very steady thing. And we're not talented enough to do that."
Miller, who sat out last season and missed Siena's 71-70 last-second win in Ithaca, made 9-18 shots and scored 16 of his game-high 26 in the second half. Robert Hatter added 21 points, and bolstered a near perfect Cornell effort from the free throw line (25-28) by making 12 of his 13 attempts from the stripe.
Siena had 10 turnovers or fewer for the seventh time in the last eight games, the first time they've done that since the stat was first charted in 1977. Ryan Oliver reached double figures for the sixth time this season with 10 points. He had just six double-figure games in his first two years with the program. Sophomore Javion Ogunyemi continued his improved play with 12 points and two blocks in a career-high 36 minutes. It wasn't nearly enough.
The Saints will try to right the ship Sunday when Bucknell comes to town for a 2 p.m. tip.
It was not a good second half for the Siena men’s basektball team.
Despite trailing by just one at halftime, the Saints (1-1, 3-7) dropped their fourth straight game, falling 75-57 to Cornell (6-5) at the Times Union Center on Tuesday night.
Siena was out-scored 48-to-31 in the final 20 minutes of play and the loss marks the first time the squad has dropped four consecutive games since the Old Spice Class early last season.
“We’re content to use excuses to not battle for 40 minutes,” Saints coach Jimmy Patsos said. “3-7 is about what we are. Stop the drive, we foul. When you’re under-manned you have to do the little things.”
As both teams struggled to find a rhythm in the first half, Siena held its own against an experienced Big Red squad and even jumped out to a six-point lead with 9:28 left in the period.
Although it wasn’ t a particularly good start for the Saints, it was just as bad for Cornell.
The Big Red shot 34.6% in the opening 20 minutes of play and did not sink a single three-point basket, giving Siena a bit of confidence heading into the break despite Cornell’s slim lead.
That changed in the second half.
“Hey, it was a one-point game at halftime and we got a stop coming out,” Patsos said. “But then it’s, hey we can win this thing! But we’re like, ok, but if we don’t it’s everybody’s fault who’s injured and it’s ok. I don’t know what to tell you more than that. I’m not going to lose my mind.”
Cornell came out firing on all cylinders early in the half and quickly took control of the game and the tempo, forcing Siena back on its collective heels.
When Shonn Miller, who finished with a game-high 26 points, drained a jumper with just over 15 minutes in regulation, Cornell had jumped out to an eight-point cushion and the Saints were forced to make some changes.
“We didn’t play great in the first half,” Big Red coach Bill Courtney said. “I thought in the second half we were very poised in our attack and we did a great job of sharing the basketball and moving inside.”
Siena alternated between man-to-man and zone defensive looks, but nothing could seemingly slow down the Big Red offensive attack in the second half. Even a technical foul on Patsos, arguing a call against Javion Ogunyemi, could not spark the Saints’ lineup.
Of course, having only eight players to combat that offensive presence didn’t make it any easier for the Saints as fouls and simple exhaustion started to take its toll as the clock continued to tick.
“We don’t want to make any excuses,” Evan Hymes said. “We just want to go out, play hard. Unfortuantely (Brett Bisping’s) hurt, (Lavon Long)’s out. We’re missing three of our starters. So we don’t want to make any excuses, we just want to go out and play hard.”
If there was a bright spot, it was the strong performance of Hymes, who started his second straight game after Siena was once again forced to reorganize its lineup last week.
The senior guard posted a team-high, and personal best on the season, 18 points, going 5-for-12 from the floor, including 2-for-4 from behind the arc.
That was about as productive as the Saints offense would be though, with big-name players unable to come up with big-time plays in the waning minutes, shooting just 26.9% in the second half.
Senior Rob Poole, who has struggled from the floor all season, once again found it hard to sink shots, going 2-for-12 and just 1-for-8 from distance.
But by the time Cornell, which also finished 25-for-28 from the line, took a double digit lead with just under 11 to play, it didn’t matter much who was missing shots for Siena.
“I felt like I was open a lot,” Poole said. “I felt like I was the most open I’ve been all year, I just couldn’t hit shots that’s all. It’s been happening all year, hopefully it’ll stop.”
The Saints will break for the Christmas holiday over the next two days before returning to prep for a matchup at home against Bucknell on Sunday afternoon.
It’s a crucial game for the Saints who are looking to gain some, any, traction before returning to MAAC play in January. Siena was picked to finish second in the preseason poll and currently sits 1-1 in league play.
“We’ll understand what it takes to win or we won’t,” Patsos said. “My message to the team was have a Merry Christmas and understand how lucky you are to be here but we have another game against Bucknell and then we’ll see where we go. Because after that I can’t make any excuses. We could come in last in the MAAC if we don’t change.”
CORNELL 75, SIENA 57
FG FT Reb
CORNELL Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS
Onuorah 21 0-1 1-2 1-3 0 0 1
Miller 34 9-18 7-8 2-15 1 2 26
Hatter 33 4-8 12-13 0-1 1 2 21
Cherry 37 2-4 2-2 0-4 1 0 7
Cancer 14 2-7 1-1 1-5 4 5 5
D Smith 22 2-4 2-2 0-2 0 5 7
LaMore 18 2-3 0-0 0-3 0 4 4
Bathurst 3 1-1 0-0 0-1 0 0 2
P Smith 2 1-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 2
Fallas 13 0-1 0-0 0-0 2 1 0
Tomic 3 0-0 0-0 0-1 0 2 0
Totals 200 23-49 25-28 5-38 9 21 75
Percentages: FG .469, FT .893.
3-Point Goals: 4-11, .364 (Cherry 1-1, D. Smith 1-2, Miller 1-2, Hatter 1-3, P. Smith 0-1, Fallas 0-1, Cancer 0-1).
Team Rebounds: 3.
Blocked Shots: 4 (Onuorah 2, Hatter, Cancer).
Turnovers: 14 (Cherry 4, D. Smith 3, Onuorah 2, Cancer 2, Miller 2, Hatter).
Steals: 5 (Cancer 2, Cherry 2, Fallas).
Technical Fouls: None.
FG FT Reb
SIENA Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS
Ogunyemi 36 3-8 6-8 1-4 0 4 12
Poole 36 2-12 1-1 2-4 0 3 6
Wright 40 1-5 4-6 1-4 9 1 6
Oliver 26 3-6 2-2 1-4 1 4 10
Hymes 28 5-12 6-9 0-4 1 0 18
Brandwijk 10 2-3 1-2 0-1 0 3 5
Paige 11 0-3 0-0 1-5 0 0 0
White 13 0-3 0-0 0-3 2 3 0
Totals 200 16-52 20-28 8-31 13 18 57
Percentages: FG .308, FT .714.
3-Point Goals: 5-20, .250 (Oliver 2-3, Hymes 2-4, Poole 1-8, Brandwijk 0-1, Paige 0-2, White 0-2).
Team Rebounds: 2.
Blocked Shots: 3 (Ogunyemi 2, White).
Turnovers: 10 (White 3, Oliver 2, Hymes 2, Wright 2, Brandwijk).
Steals: 5 (Oliver 2, Wright 2, White).
Technical Fouls: Bench.
Cornell 27 48—75
Siena 26 31—57
A_5,973.
It was not a good second half for the Siena men’s basektball team.
Despite trailing by just one at halftime, the Saints (1-1, 3-7) dropped their fourth straight game, falling 75-57 to Cornell (6-5) at the Times Union Center on Tuesday night.
Siena was out-scored 48-to-31 in the final 20 minutes of play and the loss marks the first time the squad has dropped four consecutive games since the Old Spice Class early last season.
“We’re content to use excuses to not battle for 40 minutes,” Saints coach Jimmy Patsos said. “3-7 is about what we are. Stop the drive, we foul. When you’re under-manned you have to do the little things.”
As both teams struggled to find a rhythm in the first half, Siena held its own against an experienced Big Red squad and even jumped out to a six-point lead with 9:28 left in the period.
Although it wasn’ t a particularly good start for the Saints, it was just as bad for Cornell.
The Big Red shot 34.6% in the opening 20 minutes of play and did not sink a single three-point basket, giving Siena a bit of confidence heading into the break despite Cornell’s slim lead.
That changed in the second half.
“Hey, it was a one-point game at halftime and we got a stop coming out,” Patsos said. “But then it’s, hey we can win this thing! But we’re like, ok, but if we don’t it’s everybody’s fault who’s injured and it’s ok. I don’t know what to tell you more than that. I’m not going to lose my mind.”
Cornell came out firing on all cylinders early in the half and quickly took control of the game and the tempo, forcing Siena back on its collective heels.
When Shonn Miller, who finished with a game-high 26 points, drained a jumper with just over 15 minutes in regulation, Cornell had jumped out to an eight-point cushion and the Saints were forced to make some changes.
“We didn’t play great in the first half,” Big Red coach Bill Courtney said. “I thought in the second half we were very poised in our attack and we did a great job of sharing the basketball and moving inside.”
Siena alternated between man-to-man and zone defensive looks, but nothing could seemingly slow down the Big Red offensive attack in the second half. Even a technical foul on Patsos, arguing a call against Javion Ogunyemi, could not spark the Saints’ lineup.
Of course, having only eight players to combat that offensive presence didn’t make it any easier for the Saints as fouls and simple exhaustion started to take its toll as the clock continued to tick.
“We don’t want to make any excuses,” Evan Hymes said. “We just want to go out, play hard. Unfortuantely (Brett Bisping’s) hurt, (Lavon Long)’s out. We’re missing three of our starters. So we don’t want to make any excuses, we just want to go out and play hard.”
If there was a bright spot, it was the strong performance of Hymes, who started his second straight game after Siena was once again forced to reorganize its lineup last week.
The senior guard posted a team-high, and personal best on the season, 18 points, going 5-for-12 from the floor, including 2-for-4 from behind the arc.
That was about as productive as the Saints offense would be though, with big-name players unable to come up with big-time plays in the waning minutes, shooting just 26.9% in the second half.
Senior Rob Poole, who has struggled from the floor all season, once again found it hard to sink shots, going 2-for-12 and just 1-for-8 from distance.
But by the time Cornell, which also finished 25-for-28 from the line, took a double digit lead with just under 11 to play, it didn’t matter much who was missing shots for Siena.
“I felt like I was open a lot,” Poole said. “I felt like I was the most open I’ve been all year, I just couldn’t hit shots that’s all. It’s been happening all year, hopefully it’ll stop.”
The Saints will break for the Christmas holiday over the next two days before returning to prep for a matchup at home against Bucknell on Sunday afternoon.
It’s a crucial game for the Saints who are looking to gain some, any, traction before returning to MAAC play in January. Siena was picked to finish second in the preseason poll and currently sits 1-1 in league play.
“We’ll understand what it takes to win or we won’t,” Patsos said. “My message to the team was have a Merry Christmas and understand how lucky you are to be here but we have another game against Bucknell and then we’ll see where we go. Because after that I can’t make any excuses. We could come in last in the MAAC if we don’t change.”
CORNELL 75, SIENA 57
FG FT Reb
CORNELL Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS
Onuorah 21 0-1 1-2 1-3 0 0 1
Miller 34 9-18 7-8 2-15 1 2 26
Hatter 33 4-8 12-13 0-1 1 2 21
Cherry 37 2-4 2-2 0-4 1 0 7
Cancer 14 2-7 1-1 1-5 4 5 5
D Smith 22 2-4 2-2 0-2 0 5 7
LaMore 18 2-3 0-0 0-3 0 4 4
Bathurst 3 1-1 0-0 0-1 0 0 2
P Smith 2 1-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 2
Fallas 13 0-1 0-0 0-0 2 1 0
Tomic 3 0-0 0-0 0-1 0 2 0
Totals 200 23-49 25-28 5-38 9 21 75
Percentages: FG .469, FT .893.
3-Point Goals: 4-11, .364 (Cherry 1-1, D. Smith 1-2, Miller 1-2, Hatter 1-3, P. Smith 0-1, Fallas 0-1, Cancer 0-1).
Team Rebounds: 3.
Blocked Shots: 4 (Onuorah 2, Hatter, Cancer).
Turnovers: 14 (Cherry 4, D. Smith 3, Onuorah 2, Cancer 2, Miller 2, Hatter).
Steals: 5 (Cancer 2, Cherry 2, Fallas).
Technical Fouls: None.
FG FT Reb
SIENA Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS
Ogunyemi 36 3-8 6-8 1-4 0 4 12
Poole 36 2-12 1-1 2-4 0 3 6
Wright 40 1-5 4-6 1-4 9 1 6
Oliver 26 3-6 2-2 1-4 1 4 10
Hymes 28 5-12 6-9 0-4 1 0 18
Brandwijk 10 2-3 1-2 0-1 0 3 5
Paige 11 0-3 0-0 1-5 0 0 0
White 13 0-3 0-0 0-3 2 3 0
Totals 200 16-52 20-28 8-31 13 18 57
Percentages: FG .308, FT .714.
3-Point Goals: 5-20, .250 (Oliver 2-3, Hymes 2-4, Poole 1-8, Brandwijk 0-1, Paige 0-2, White 0-2).
Team Rebounds: 2.
Blocked Shots: 3 (Ogunyemi 2, White).
Turnovers: 10 (White 3, Oliver 2, Hymes 2, Wright 2, Brandwijk).
Steals: 5 (Oliver 2, Wright 2, White).
Technical Fouls: Bench.
Cornell 27 48—75
Siena 26 31—57
A_5,973.
(Blog Recap)
After the Siena men's basketball team lost its fourth straight game on Tuesday night, coach Jimmy Patsos played the part of Charles Dickens' Ghost of Christmas Future, warning the worst is still ahead if the Saints don't improve.
"We could come in last in the MAAC if we don't change, in my opinion," Patsos said.
Those are sobering words for a program that began the season with such high hopes, picked by the coaches to come in second in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference preseason poll.
That prediction seems like fantasy after the undermanned Saints were handled by Cornell 75-57 before a subdued crowd of 5,973 at Times Union Center.
Again dressing just eight scholarship players, Siena (3-7) shot below 31 percent for the second consecutive game while scoring its fewest points of the season.
"We don't want to make any excuses," Siena senior guard Evan Hymes said. "We just want to go out and play hard. Unfortunately, we're missing three of our starters. We're always a confident team. We're still in games. We were only down one (27-26) at half."
Then Cornell shot 14-for-22 (63.6 percent) in the second half while Cornell senior forward Shonn Miller was far too much for a Saints frontcourt missing Lavon Long (high ankle sprain), Brett Bisping (toe surgery) and Imoh Silas (knee).
Miller, an all-Ivy League player, finished with 26 points and 15 rebounds.
Only Long is expected back in the short term, though he said after the game there isn't a timetable for him to resume practicing. Bisping could end up redshirting and Silas is done for the season.
Patsos said his team is too content to use the injury situation as a figurative crutch.
"Hey, we can win this thing, and we're like, 'OK, but if we don't, it's everybody's fault who's injured and it's OK,'" Patsos said. "So I don't know what to tell you any more than that. I'm not going to lose my mind."
He did get assessed his latest technical arguing a foul call with 10:21 left and the Saints trailing by 11.
"I sort of felt I was right," Patsos said. "Maybe the refs are watching the emotion of our team and saying that's who gets the calls. I'm not criticizing the referees."
The frustration spilled over to his staff as assistant coach Greg Manning loudly slammed his clipboard to the court during a timeout huddle in the second half.
That failed to rouse the Saints, who were led by a season-high 18 points from Hymes, who used his speed to attack the basket.
Siena sophomore forward Javion Ogunyemi of Troy added 12 points and junior guard Ryan Oliver scored 10.
Siena senior guard Rob Poole, a first-team all-MAAC selection in the preseason, continued his shooting woes by going 2-for-12 from the field and missing seven of his eight 3-point attempts.
"I'm not naming names, but some guys have to pick it up when other guys are down," Patsos said.
The Saints shot 16-for-52 (30.8 percent) from the field, just three days after going a collective 21 of 69 (30.4 percent) in a loss at Radford.
"I think it's just people (not) making shots, that's all," Poole said. "We're wide open and not really making shots ... I think we're playing good defense and rebounding. I just think we've got to make some shots, that's all."
Cornell senior guard Galal Cancer, a CBA graduate, enjoyed his homecoming with five points and four assists.
Cancer credited a strong defensive effort for helping the Big Red to pull away in the second half as they held Siena to 7-for-26 shooting after intermission.
"I think it helped a lot, especially getting out in transition," Cancer said. "We pride ourself on trying to create as many fast-break opportunities as possible."
Siena players wished each other a Merry Christmas before parting ways for a two-day break. They'll return to practice on Friday before taking on Bucknell on Sunday in the final nonconference game of the season.
Then Siena resumes MAAC play with a game at Fairfield on Jan. 2.
"It's always nice to go home for Christmas and see family and stuff like that," said Poole, who is from New Jersey. "Come back with a new mind-set and positive, more confident. You try to forget about it for two days before you come back and reboot everything up."
CORNELL 75, SIENA 57
CORNELL (6-5)
Player Min FG FT R A Pts
Onuorah 21 0-1 1-2 3 0 1
Miller 34 9-18 7-8 15 1 26
Hatter 33 4-8 12-13 1 1 21
Cherry 37 2-4 2-2 4 1 7
Cancer 14 2-7 1-1 5 4 5
Smith 22 2-4 2-2 2 0 7
LaMore 18 2-3 0-0 3 0 4
Bathurst 3 1-1 0-0 1 0 2
Smith 2 1-2 0-0 0 0 2
Fallas 13 0-1 0-0 0 2 0
Tomic 3 0-0 0-0 1 0 0
TEAM 3
Totals 23-49 25-28 38 9 75
SIENA (3-7)
Player Min FG FT R A Pts
Ogunyemi 36 3-8 6-8 4 0 12
Poole 36 2-12 1-1 4 0 6
Wright 40 1-5 4-6 4 9 6
Oliver 26 3-6 2-2 4 1 10
Hymes 28 5-12 6-9 4 1 18
Brandwijk 10 2-3 1-2 1 0 5
Paige 11 0-3 0-0 5 0 0
White 13 0-3 0-0 3 2 0
TEAM 1
Totals 16-52 20-28 31 13 57
Halftime—Cornell, 27-26. 3-point goals—Cornell 4-11 (Fallas 0-1, Smith 0-1, Smith 1-2, Cancer 0-1, Cherry 1-1, Hatter 1-3, Miller 1-2). Siena 5-20 (White 0-2, Paige 0-2, Brandwijk 0-1, Hymes 2-4, Oliver 2-3, Poole 1-8). Fouls—Cornell 21 (Tomic 2, Fallas, LaMore 4, Smith 5, Cancer 5, Hatter 2, Miller 2). Siena 19 (White 3, Brandwijk 3, Oliver 4, Wright, Poole 3, Ogunyemi 4). Blocked shots—Cornell 4 (Cancer, Hatter, Onuorah 2). Siena 3 (White, Ogunyemi 2). Turnovers—Cornell 14 (Smith 3, Cancer 2, Cherry 4, Hatter, Miller 2, Onuorah 2). Siena 10 (White 3, Brandwijk, Hymes 2, Oliver 2, Wright 2). Steals—Siena 5 (Fallas, Cancer 2, Cherry 2). Siena 5 (White, Oliver 2, Wright 2). Technical fouls—Siena (TEAM). A—5,973.
Cornell out shot Siena in a big way in the second half allowing them to cruise to a 75-57 win over the Saints at the Times Union Center on Tuesday night. Siena had no answer for Cornell’s Shonn Miller who had a game-high 26 points including 16 in the second half on 6-8 shooting from the field. It was the Saints’ fourth straight loss.
“When you have success you have to worry about believing that it was actually you, in my opinion,” said Siena coach Jimmy Patsos. ”You have to remember that it was we and us and Siena and the program. I have preached that it’s about Siena Basketball. I have preached that this program is about us and we and buying in and if someone gets hurt, someone else steps up and you play hard in the Times Union Center and all that. So, we’ll keep trying. I’m not blaming them.”
The game, although slow in pace, was evenly played in the first twenty minutes, and Cornell led going into the break, 27-26. But the Big Red shot 14-22 (63.6%) to just 7-26 (26.9%) for Siena from the field in the second half and pulled away for the easy win. For the game, Siena shot just 16-52 FG (30.8%), 5-20 from three-point range.
The Saints simply struggled to find the answers playing without three starters from a year ago, Imoh Silas, Brett Bisping and Lavon Long (due to injuries) and Patrick Cole, a key reserve this season, who has been suspended. Even a second half Patsos technical foul, which the coach said he hoped would spark the team, did little to have an effect.
“If it doesn’t change, we won’t win,” Patsos said. ”We did some really good things tonight. Then all of a sudden we stopped doing them. Our shooting is really disappointing, because we were a good shooting team, and some of those shots were open.”
After winning the battle on the boards in the first half, 20-18, Siena was outrebounded 20-11 in the second twenty minutes. They were also outscored in the paint by Cornell 30-18 for the game.
“We’re missing people but we’re content to use excuses to not battle for 40 minutes and it’s been going on,” said Patsos. ”3-7 is about where we are. I talked to the team about that. When you’re undermanned you have to do the little things. ”
Evan Hymes was a bright spot for Siena (3-7) scoring a season-high 18 points. Javion Ogunyemi finished with 12 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks and Ryan Oliver had 10 points. Marquis Wright had just 6 points but added 9 assists (2 turnovers), 4 rebounds and 2 steals.
Rob Poole continued to struggle from the field shooting just 2-12 including 1-8 from beyond the 3-point arc and finished with 6 points.
Miller added 15 rebounds to his 26 points and Robert Hatter had 21 points including 12-13 from the free-throw line for Cornell (6-5).
Siena celebrated their 2-millionith fan all-time at the Times Union Center as part of a total crowd of 5,973 on Tuesday night.
The Saints play their final non-conference game of the regular season on Sunday as they face Bucknell as the first game of a double-header with the women’s team who play Colgate. Tip off at the Times Union Center for the men’s game is at 2 pm with the women’s game to follow.
“My message to the team was have a Merry Christmas and understand how lucky you are to be here,” summed up Patsos. ”But, we have another game against Bucknell and then we’ll see where we go cause after that I can’t make any excuses.”
Postgame comments by Siena coach Jimmy Patsos: Click Here
Postgame Comments from Siena coach Jimmy Patsos following loss to Cornell:
“We’re a work in progress. Its funny, I watch the NBA and I was reading the paper today and I looked at the Indiana Pacers and they’re 8-19. They had a guy leave, Lance Stephenson and they had a guy get hurt. I haven’t seen them highlighted much his year. Maybe we’re the Indiana Pacers. I’m not just blaming injuries. I’m just saying the Indian Pacers were one of the most talked about teams in the NBA last year and I haven’t heard about them this year. That caught my eye.”
“We’re missing people but we’re content to use excuses to not battle for 40 minutes and it’s been going on. 3-7 is about where we are. I talked to the team about that. Maybe we gave one away. but it’s like just stop the drive, we foul. Shot fake, pull-up jumper, ok I’ll settle for the three. When you’re undermanned you have to do the little things. ”
“If it doesn’t change, we won’t win. We did some really good things tonight. Then all of a sudden we stopped doing them. Our shooting is really disappointing, because we were a good shooting team, and some of those shots were open.”
“At some point it’s just the will to win; the proud program has a will to win. I don’t see anything negative, but I don’t see anything positive. I just see this vanilla blend. I see this very steady thing. And we’re not talented enough to do that.”
“Shonn Miller’s a very good player. He sat out last year and learned a lot so I hope our guys sitting out learn a lot. You learn a lot by sitting out.”
“Bill Courtney’s a really good coach. They’re doing a really good job a Cornell. They’re building it back the right way. They got rid of some guys too. Which is inspirational for me.”
“It was a one point game at the half and we got a stop coming out. It was like hey you can win this thing and we’re like ok. If we don’t its everybody’s fault who’s injured and it’s ok. I don’t know what to tell you anymore. I’m not gonna lose my mind.”
“I got the technical because I thought I was right. Leading up there was a couple of calls that I thought could go either way. Maybe the refs are watching the emotion of our team and saying that’s who gets the calls. Good officiating crews. The referees are fine. So I felt like saying hey, I don’t think that was right so I’ll get a T. Maybe that should fire our team up. The next thing I know we chuck a pull-up three when I was saying drive the ball to the basket.”
“We’ll understand what it takes to win or we won’t. We have another trial game before the MAAC where I said it counts and then we’ll see what happens.”
“I think we’ve got some guys that can really play. I think we can spread it out and drive and kick it more. But all the sudden we settle for a three. I’m not naming names but some guys have to pick it up when other guys are down.”
“Oklahoma City, I watched them without Durant and I saw some guys really try to go and they were winning games. We’re just like, ok they’re out so it’s ok.”
“When you have success you have to worry about believing that it was actually you, in my opinion. You have to remember that it was we and us and Siena and the program. I have preached that it’s about Siena Basketball. I have preached that this program is about us and we and buying in and if someone gets hurt, someone else steps up and you play hard in the Times Union Center and all that. So. we’ll keep trying. I’m not blaming them.”
“My message to the team was have a Merry Christmas and understand how lucky you are to be here. But, we have another game against Bucknell and then we’ll see where we go cause after that I can’t make any excuses.”
“We could come in last in the MAAC if we don’t change in my opinion. That would worry more as a player but I cant press reset on the video game. They think they can. I don’t know what to tell you more than that.”
For Game Recap: Click Here
More Postgame Comments:
Cornell coach Tom Courtney:
“I thought we played a really good ball game tonight, a really good team victory. We didn’t play great in the first half. We started off turning the ball over a little bit too much, not necessarily forced and that was the problem for us in the first half. we didn’t shoot very well.”
“I thought in the second half we were very poised in our attack and we did a great job of sharing the basketball and getting inside. I think that really elevated us a little bit.”
“We continued to play good defense. Which we’ve pretty much done all year. we’re a work in progress and we’re a team that’s getting better. It was good to see us come out in the second half and play like the team we’re capable of.”
“We’ve been pretty good all year shooting free throws. Obviously, knowing they’re a very aggressive team and they might commit some fouls it was an emphasis for us. we’ve done a pretty good job of converting those opportunities.”
“They play hard. Give them credit, especially playing with an undermanned roster to continue to play that hard. It’s a testament to coach Patsos that the continued fighting to the very end.”
On focusing on Poole:
“He definitely was a key guy for us that we talked about. It was different because Shonn Miller was matched up on him and Shonn is used to guarding post guys or front court athletic guys so having to guard a shooter was a little different for him especially only having a day to prepare. I thought he did a terrific job of staying attached to him and not letting him get a whole bunch of open looks.”
Cornell’s Galal Cancer
On defense fueling offense:
“I think it helped a lot especially in transition. We pride ourselves on trying to create as many fast break opportunities as possible, securing the defensive rebound or creating steals. I thought that helped us out tremendously.”
On returning to Albany and the Times Union Center:
“It was very exciting. I had a lot of family here, high school teammates, high school classmates, high school coach. So, it was definitely really exciting.”
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