Women's Basketball News Releases
Rams fall to No. 10 Simpson in Iowa Conference opener
Coming up - Thursday, Dec. 11, No. 1 UW-Whitewater, Small Multi-Sport Center, Mount Vernon, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 13, at Grinnell, Grinnell, 2 p.m.
Ram review - Cornell battled 10th-ranked and defending Iowa Conference champion Simpson to a four-point game late in the first half, but went cold from the field the rest of the way in a 70-33 loss Saturday at the Small Multi-Sport Center in Mount Vernon.
The Rams (4-2 overall, 0-1 IIAC) hung with Simpson (7-0, 2-0) for nearly a half, trailing 21-17 with less than five minutes to play before intermission. The Storm surged to a 40-24 lead at halftime and then broke the game open with a 25-2 spurt to open the second half.
"We got mentally and physically tired and let them go on a run to close the first half. I thought up until that point we played some of our best overall basketball," Cornell head coach Brent Brase said. "Good teams are good for a reason. We gave them opportunities in transition and off turnovers in the final four minutes (of the first half) and that was the real key to the game.
"On a very positive note, I thought the entire team did a good job over the first 15 minutes playing the type of game we had to, to be competitive against a great team. We continue to show progress and make improvements every day."
Freshman forward Teresa Cecchetti (Dixon, Ill./Dixon) led the Rams with 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Kristin Paczosa (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove) collected a game-high 11 rebounds. Charlotte Milas (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows) added eight points and a team-high five assists. Paczosa and Tiffany Cowan (Independence, Mo./Truman) each had three steals.
The Rams were held to 25.9 percent shooting for the game, including 3-of-26 from the field in the second half. Simpson owned a 42-26 advantage on the boards.
"I saw some real positives and continual growth from (freshmen) Marissa Johnston and Morgan Woods on the defensive end of the floor," Brase said. "I thought both played their best defensive games of the year and Kristin did a great job defensively and on the glass."
UW-Whitewater next - The Rams take on their second nationally-ranked foe in as many games when No. 1 UW-Whitewater comes to town Thursday, Dec. 11. The Warhawks (6-1) will likely surrender their No. 1 ranking in this week's polls after suffering an 84-76 loss to No. 24 UW-Stevens Point Saturday in Stevens Point, Wis.
Cornell concludes its pre-Christmas schedule Saturday, Dec. 13 at Grinnell (0-7). The Rams are then off until IIAC play resumes Jan. 3 at Central.
Cowan tops 100 treys - Cowan recorded her 100th career 3-pointer with a pair of treys against Simpson. She has made 101 career 3-point goals, which ranks second on Cornell's all-time list behind Bindy Comito (114 3-point goals, 1998-2002).
Team leaders - Cowan and Cecchetti lead the Rams in scoring at 12.7 and 12.5 points per game, respectively. Cecchetti has scored in double figures in each of her first six collegiate games, including a 21-point effort against Mount Mercy Dec. 1.
Paczosa leads the team in rebounds (8.5 rpg) and blocked shots (1.3 bpg), ranking third in the league in both categories. Milas is averaging a team-best 2.6 assists.
