Penn Basketball: Cornell Ends Quaker’s Hopes to Make Ivy League Tournament

Philadelphia: The calendar turns to March and the best month for College Basketball gets going.

The push to make the Ivy League tournament was on for the Penn Quakers who were 10-16 but just 2-9 in the Ivy League. They were looking to make noise to get into the Ivy League Tournament as they took on Cornell on Friday night at the Palestra.  The only way for Penn to make it was to win out and get help as only the top four teams make the Ivy League.

Lineup:

STARTING 5⃣ IS IN! About 10 minutes from tipoff here at The Palestra.

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📊 https://t.co/mOYnxsbuXO#Whānau | #FightOnPenn 🔴🔵🏀 pic.twitter.com/IRYPdTcCBk

— Penn Men's Basketball (@PennMBB) March 2, 2024

The Quakers would get off to a hot start with 12-0 run, at one point leading by 14 at 21-7 with 12:20 left in 1^st half. There would be a stretch where the Quakers could have blown this game wide ope,n but costly mistakes would keep Cornell in the game as Big Red would get it down to 6 at 36-30.

Penn would make sevem three pointers in the first half.

HALF | Penn 46, Cornell 34

Great opening 20 against the Ivy co-leaders. Gotta keep it up for another 20!#Whānau | #FightOnPenn 🔴🔵🏀 pic.twitter.com/bp2L6cbuaT

— Penn Men's Basketball (@PennMBB) March 2, 2024

As the first half would come to an end, The Quakers would keep the pressure on Cornell & would take a 46-34 lead into halftime, Quakers would shoot 50% in the 1^st half.

Going into the second half, could the Quakers keep up the shooting that they showed in the first half in trying to do damage to make postseason play?

The answer was no as Cornell came out with a 9-0 run and then would get the game tied at 56. Both Penn & Cornell would do the “Can you top thi?s” with the 3-pointers as the game would be tied at 72 with 6:31 left.

2H (6:31) | Penn 72, Cornell 72

U8 media. Clark with the last five for us, he's up to 16 points!#Whānau | #FightOnPenn 🔴🔵🏀 pic.twitter.com/6VrBZERgIR

— Penn Men's Basketball (@PennMBB) March 2, 2024

The crowd at the Palestra was into it coming down the stretch.  Cornell would make a couple of big 3-pointers while Penn attempted to answer but they would not go in.

The Quakers would pick a bad time to go on a scoring drought to end the game as Cornell picked up a 87-81 hard road win and ending whatever chances the Quakers have to make the Ivy League Tournament.

Postgame:

Penn Coach Steve Donahue on the loss:

Opening Statement from #Penn Coach Steve Donahue on Tough loss to Cornell tonight at the Palestra pic.twitter.com/paXlRed4iq

— David Malandra Jr (@DaveMReports) March 2, 2024

Final Numbers:

What is Next:
The Quakers will have to do a quick turnaround with a battle with Columbia tomorrow night at the Palestra.