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No one even pretends to follow Cornell basketball as closely at The Cornell Basketball Blog -- in the words of a former player: "they probably know what we eat for breakfast everyday." For that type of up close and personal investigation, have some tic-tacs on us. Without further ado....
Is Chris Wroblewski your best player? Why has he had such a dramatic fall-off in efficiency?
Chris is Cornell's floor leader. He is a calming force for the guys around him and the team feeds off him. He's been it a bit of shooting slump but he he has improved in every other area. At 6'0" he is giving Cornell 4.4 rebounds per game while also dishing 5.6 assists per game. Both of these are career bests for him. When his shots start to fall, he'll have the complete game.
What style of play/tempo should be expect from Cornell? And what strengths does this emphasize?
Cornell is at its best in transition when the Big Red can find their shooters on the wings. Off of defensive rebounds, look for Cornell to push the ball before the opposition can settle into its half court defense. Cornell's top shooters off the ball are Wroblewski and fellow senior, Drew Ferry.
What happened to Errik Peck? At the beginning of last year, he was a potential breakout candidate.
Peck injured his knee during summer workouts, chipping some cartilage, and had what was considered a minor surgery in July. While he was expected back by mid November, the knee has not heeled the way the doctors had hoped. He could end up missing the season.
Tell us about Cornell's big men -- that's a huge soft spot in the Albany roster.
Cornell's frontcourt was expected to a be weakness for this team. However, freshman Shonn Miller, an athletic 6'7" power forward has emerged as the frontrunner for Ivy League Rookie of the Year (he won the weekly award from the league office three consecutive weeks). Juniors 6'8" Eitan Chemerinksi and 6'9" Josh Figini have also been better than some might have expected. While the frontcourt is not yet Cornell's strength, there has been some optimism around the unit's recent production.
Aside from spraining Mike Black's ankle (as worked well last year), what are Cornell's keys to victory?
Rebounding and taking care of the basketball. Both of these areas have killed Cornell in the past.
What would you define as success for this season?
Winning the Ivy League title. There is nothing else.
Cornell edged Albany in the Galal Cancer sweepstakes. What's the early read on his game/expectation for the year?
Yes, Galal's college decision came down to staying at home (Albany) or attending Cornell. He is an extremely talented guard, good at creating off the dribble. He gets into the lane with ease and is able to dish for teammates or attempt a layup. Right now he is working on consistency, making good decisions and understanding his limitations. There are times where he forces the issue. But he is such a hard worker that in time, he'll start to understand what Bill Courtney wants from him.
How much homerism should be expect out of the refs on Saturday? Albany's game plan is heavily reliant on Gerardo Suero getting to the line (and he's one of the best in the country at doing it).
Cornell is a physical team and does create foul shot opportunities for the opponents. It's not unusual to see 2-3 Cornell players with 4-plus fouls.
Prediction time: Final score? And will the Cornell students section be larger than the over/under for the combined game score (~120 I'd say)?
You have to like Albany's chances here. Cornell is rusty and has not played in two weeks. Cornell students are now on vacation. So, they will be a non-factor. Cornell also has six players out with injuries, including Peck. But this Big Red team under Bill Courtney is resilient and I have to pick Cornell in a tight finish. 65-63.
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