For Immediate Release: Janaury 10, 2004
Contact: David O'Brian (dobrian@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6478

Binghamton falls 50-43 to Cornell in non-conference game

Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y..--Freshman guard Lindsay Krasna scored a game-high 14 points, leading Cornell (2-10) to a 50-43 win over Binghamton (1-10) in a women's basketball non-conference game at Newman Arena on Monday night. The defeat was the ninth straight for the Bearcats and the 43 points represented the team's lowest output of the season.

"I'm very disappointed with our effort tonight from start to finish," head coach Rich Conover said. "Give Cornell credit. They are in the middle of a tough season but they found a way to pull out the win."

Freshman guard Laura Sario (Espoo, Finland) had a team-high 12 points to go along with five rebounds. Junior forward Jen Haubrich (Bow, N.H.) netted eight points and grabbed six rebounds, junior guard Jen Blues (Overland Park, Kan.) had seven points and freshman center Laine Kurpniece (Riga, Latvia) had six points, a game-high 10 rebounds and a team-high three steals.

Binghamton was without junior forward Rachel Laws (Wyncote, Pa.), the team's leading scorer. She was resting her right ankle, which had been bothering her the past two games, and will return to action on Wednesday against Albany.

Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, shooting just 29 percent as the score was deadlocked 21-21 at the break. The Bearcats, however, scored the last five points of the half to force the tie. Sario hit two free throws with 39 seconds remaining and Blues connected on a three pointer with three seconds to go before intermission.

Binghamton built a 33-30 lead with 13:35 left in the second half but Cornell went on a 6-0 run in the next 1:06 to take a 36-33 lead. Amy Lyons had four of the six Big Red points during that stretch.

The Bearcats got to within two points, 45-43, on a jumper by Jen Haubrich with 1:24 remaining. Cornell, however, hit 5-of-6 free throws in the last 41 seconds to seal the win.

Binghamton's game at Albany will start at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. It will be followed by the men's game at Albany, which will tip off at 7:30 p.m.

NOTES: Sario has led the team in scoring in each of the past two games, averaging 14.5 points during that span ... Kurpniece has reached double figures in rebounding in back-to-back games.