Cornell is the Cats next opponent on the Drive to Indy. Here is the [URL=”http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20100321/SPORTS/100321007/Dale++Big+Red+eyeing+Thursday+showdown+with+Kentucky+in+Syracuse”]Ithaca Journal[/URL], the local Cornell newspaper, saying what they think about the upcoming match-up.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
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Louis Dale walked off the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena court, eyeing a section full of deliriously happy Cornell fans glorying in the Big Red’s second-round victory over Wisconsin, when a fan with an Alabama hat asked for an autograph.
Alabama, Dale’s home state? No problem. Then another fan threw down a blue hat, pleading for a signature.
“It said UK on it,” Dale said, smiling. “I threw it right back to him.”
UK, as in the University of Kentucky. As in Cornell’s Sweet 16 opponent at approximately 9:57 p.m. Thursday night at the Carrier Dome. And the Wildcats (34-2) best not underestimate the first [URL=”http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20100321/SPORTS/100321007/Dale++Big+Red+eyeing+Thursday+showdown+with+Kentucky+in+Syracuse#”]Ivy League[/URL] champion to reach the Sweet 16 since the tournament expanded 25 years ago.
“It’s obviously an unbelievable story,” senior forward Jon Jaques said. “The first Ivy League team since the tournament expanded, that’s ridiculous. That’s an unbelievable story. And Cornell playing Kentucky is a great story also. And we’re not satisfied.”
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Satisfaction is such a hard thing to attain. The Cats will be not satisfied unless they are hoisting up Trophy #8. Cornell just wants to beat the Cats. Urgency is so important.
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In almost a replay of Friday’s first-round victory over Temple, Cornell’s non-stop movement on offense and assortment of lethally accurate shot-makers tore apart a defensive-minded Wisconsin team that, after 32 games, ran into a team it could not defend.
Cornell shot a blistering 61.1 percent from the field, received a combined 50 points from Dale and Ryan Wittman, led by as many as 24 points and routed the fourth-seeded Badgers 87-69 on Sunday. The performance left the attending media questioning whether Cornell deserves the label Cinderella, or was simply just the best of the four-team pod in Jacksonville.
“We’ve got eight seniors on this team,” said Dale, who then cracked the room up with a Friday Night Lights reference. “And we want to take this ride as long as we can because after this it’s just nothing but babies and memories.”
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Kentucky has had trouble with teams that have shot the 3 pointer well. Extending the defense will be crucial, but you also have to worry about the back cuts. Cornell destroyed Wisconsin. The Cats play no seniors, compared to all seniors for the Ivy League champs. I don’t think it will make a difference. Talent beats experience in my book.
[QUOTE]“In all my coaching, all the experience I had on any team that I ever played on, this game here was as well-executed (as any other),” Cornell coach Steve Donahue said. “I couldn’t even imagine that we could play that well in the stretches that we did.”
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Sounds like their coach thinks they have peaked to me. If he didn’t ever think they could play that well, then surely they could not replicate that again. Kentucky’s defense will be the key to the game, and of course Darius hitting 3s.
[QUOTE]Cornell’s 29 wins are an Ivy League record, surpassing the 28-1 Penn Quakers in 1970-71. The Big Red still has work left to match the 1979 Penn team – one of Donahue’s favorites – that pieced together an unexpected run to the Final Four.
Cornell joined 10th-seeded St. Mary’s and ninth-seeded Northern Iowa as unexpected Sweet 16 participants. It’s been a tournament of upsets, and all three teams hopes that trend continues into Weekend No. 2.[/QUOTE]
Winning 29 games is impressive, if they played a little better schedule. Cornell’s strength of schedule was ranked 189 in the nation. Cornell has not faced the talent the Cats have. I think this could be the deciding factor.
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For Cornell, that means taking down a Kentucky roster filled with future [URL=”http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20100321/SPORTS/100321007/Dale++Big+Red+eyeing+Thursday+showdown+with+Kentucky+in+Syracuse#”]NBA[/URL] players. The Wildcats obliterated Wake Forest 90-60 on Saturday night to advance.
“We’ve played teams like Kentucky before though,” Foote said. “I think about last year with a guy like Jonny Flynn on that Syracuse team. He was comparable to a John Wall. This year with Kansas’ [URL=”http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20100321/SPORTS/100321007/Dale++Big+Red+eyeing+Thursday+showdown+with+Kentucky+in+Syracuse#”]Sherron Collins[/URL], Cole Aldrich inside, Xavier Henry, you know I think we’re very experienced with teams like this. We’re very confident in ourselves. We can’t look at Kentucky and just throw in the towel already. I think we’re very excited and I think we’re definitely capable of continuing to go farther.”
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Playing Syracuse last year has nothing to do with playing a team with 6 1st rounders on it this year. Also, I am not too worried about them playing Kansas, because they aren’t playing anymore. Cornell sounds excited and seem to be confidant they can upset the Cats. Cornell must be Jay Bilas fans, because they are as delusional as he is!! I say the Cats win by 14.
Go Cats!!:cat:
