IvyBballFan
Masters Student
Posts: 479
Age: 77
Loc: Central Florida
Reg: 11-19-09
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11-09-23 08:50 AM - Post#358956
With Josh Baldwin out for the year, we can see that six of last year's top eight players are back. Three or four more players need to step up to fill out Coach Earl's system.
The next four games have good potential to tell us more about this Big Red team. All we have available this week from which to make predictions is the Preseason Rankings. We know how that often goes. But... when one combines SI, Fansided, KenPom, Torvik, and Benz into one number, Cornell is 151.
Lehigh may be picked to finish second in the Patriot League, but their rank is 267. The Patriot League looks now as if it might be "Matt and the Nine Minnows," with Colgate at 108 and the other nine teams ranked 263-335. Thus, Cornell's Monday W at Stabler Arena was more than welcome, but maybe a little closer than one might have predicted.
Over the next two weeks, Cornell plays two road games and two neutral site games against teams ranked about like the Red. First come trips to NYC (Fordham, 147) and Fairfax (George Mason, 140). Then there are back-to-back games in Jacksonville (Fullerton, 164) and the Utah Valley (182)/Southern Mississippi (132) winner.
The non-con season is frequently a mix of overly winnable and likely-loss games which do not give teams a chance to experience crunch time. Not so this year. All look to be competitive and potentially winnable. They should be great games.
Looking forward to getting a pre-season in-person look at the Big Red for the second year in a row in the Sunshine State, after watching the shootout in Miami last year.
Red fans should have a lot more to talk about in two weeks.
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mountainred
Masters Student
Posts: 514
Age: 57
Loc: Charleston, WV
Reg: 04-11-10
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11-11-23 01:41 PM - Post#359039
In response to IvyBballFan
First up is Fordham, who Cornell hasn't played in over 40 years. That seems crazy to me.
Fordham needed OT to beat Wagner at home, though they probably should have won in regulation.
Very curious to see if Beccles is part of the main rotation, or if that was just a D3 game thing. Also, hope to see better defense.
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mountainred
Masters Student
Posts: 514
Age: 57
Loc: Charleston, WV
Reg: 04-11-10
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11-11-23 04:49 PM - Post#359043
In response to mountainred
Well, saw better defense for a half. Cornell goes up big and then hangs on to win at Fordham 78-73. Guys looked fantastic for the first half, but the Rams physical press really rattled the Big Red.
But a five point at an A-10 school is nothing to be ashamed of.
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