Cornell scored the game’s final five points and secured a pivotal 65-61 road win over Lawrence in Midwest Conference men’s basketball action Sunday afternoon inside Alexander Gym.
The Rams continued to gain ground in the league race with their fourth consecutive victory, and third straight in MWC play.
Jayden Meeker and Zach Ingle tallied 20 and 17 points, respectively, to pace the surging Rams, who held their fifth consecutive opponent to fewer than 65 points.
Cornell shot a season-best 53.3 percent from the field – including 8-of-12 from 3-point land – although played from behind for most of this contest. The Rams trailed the Vikings (3-13 overall, 1-6 MWC) 61-60 with less than one minute to go.
Meeker put the Rams ahead 62-61 on a driving bucket with 40 seconds left. Trey Totheroh grabbed a defensive rebound on the ensuing possession and drained two free throws, pushing the margin to 64-61 with 17 seconds remaining.
Lawrence misfired on a game-tying 3-point attempt. Dylan Hurley rebounded and hit one free throw to provide the final margin of victory.
Hurley finished with 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Julian Cleary came off the bench for nine points on 4-of-5 shooting. Sophomore Nate Jacobson made the only two shots he took – both 3-pointers – in his Cornell debut.
Meeker delivered his fourth consecutive 20-point game in MWC play. Ingle buried 4-of-6 3-point goals. Wallace Schmotzer pulled in seven rebounds.
Earlier in the week, the Rams claimed a 63-52 victory over Monmouth.
Meeker tossed in a game-high 24 points and the Rams used a 12-0 second-half scoring run to notch the comeback win. Cornell outscored the home team, 39-24, during a dominant second half.
Meeker also led the Rams in rebounds (seven) and assists (four) while going 7-of-7 from the foul line. The junior topped the 20-point mark for the fifth time in his last eight games.
Hurley and Ingle had 13 points apiece for the Rams, who trailed 28-24 at intermission. Cornell ran off 12 unanswered points to start the second half and built a 41-31 lead on a Meeker jumper with 13:08 remaining.
Monmouth managed only one made field goal over the first seven minutes of the second half when the Rams made their move. The Fighting Scots were held to 27.3-percent shooting over the final 20 minutes.
Ingle hit three 3-pointers to give him 42 on the season, second-most in the MWC. He and Hurley had six rebounds apiece.
Cornell shot 45.3 percent from the field en route to its third consecutive victory.