JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Confident, relaxed and definitely on its game.
Cornell lived up to its billing as the best team to come out of the Ivy League in more than a decade, and now the senior-heavy Big Red has a chance for a nice run in the NCAA Tournament.
“Everyone was saying we were Cinderella or it’s an upset. Not us,” sophomore Chris Wroblewski said Friday after the 12th-seeded Big Red dominated No. 5 seed Temple 78-65 in a game that wasn’t even that close.
Down to their last chance to experience success on college basketball’s biggest stage, seniors Ryan Wittman, Louis Dale and Jeff Foote paced the school to its first victory in five NCAA appearances.
Dale scored 21 points and Wittman, the Ivy League player of the year, had 20 for the Big Red, which led the nation in 3-point shooting this season and has three other elements — strong guard play, experienced leadership and a 7-foot center in Foote — that make it a threat to play beyond the first weekend of the tournament.
Cornell (28-4) made eight of its first 10 shots and never looked back, shooting 68 percent in the opening half and 56 percent for the game.
Temple (29-6) lost in the first round for the third straight year under coach Fran Dunphy, whose former assistant, Steve Donahue, has led Cornell to three straight Ivy League titles and the winningest season in school history.
“I’m torn right now with the feeling in my stomach,” Donahue said after his first win over his former boss.
Juan Fernandez and Ryan Brooks each had 14 points for Temple. Dunphy, who’s been at Temple since 2006, fell to 1-12 in the NCAA Tournament and has lost 11 straight.
