Sure it was close. Dartmouth own the better record at 6-6, but Cornell sits at 6-7, after going 2-26 last year.
Who expected wins over George Mason, Canisius and Siena, a close call with Penn State and a semi-competitive battle with national power Syracuse?
Many considered that last season would be the last for coach Bill Courtney, but the athletic director saw some fire in the fifth-year head coach, recognized that Cornell had some key injuries last season and gave him another season to right the ship. And right it he has.
Cornell has rode the fine play of junior forward Shonn Miller all season. He is averaging 16.5 points per game, is second in the league behind Yale’s Justin Sears in rebounding and is one of the leaders in blocked shots.
Is Cornell a postseason team? No. But they can be competitive in all home games and steal a few on the road. That is more than any Cornell follower could have asked for heading into this season. And probably enough to keep Courtney at the helm even longer.