Army West Point Athletics
Sunday, December 8
West Point, NY
1:00 PM
Army West Point
vs
Cornell
Men's Basketball Set to Play Cornell for First Time in 17 Years
December 07, 2024 | Men's Basketball
WEST POINT, N.Y. — Army West Point men's basketball (5-3, 0-0 PL) returns to Christl Arena on Sunday as it renews their rivalry against the Cornell Big Red (5-3, 0-0 Ivy).
The Sunday afternoon matchup marks the first time that Army and Cornell have faced off since November 20, 2007. The matchup, nearly two decades ago, where Army fell in a home matchup, 93-78, against the Big Red. With a win on Saturday, it would be the Black Knights first win over Cornell since 1999.
The game between the Black Knights and the Big Red is slated to begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are still available HERE, with the game also streaming live on ESPN+ and the Army Sports Network for fans who cannot make it to Christl Arena.
ARMY STORYLINES:
LAST GAME: The Black Knights earned their fifth win of the season in a thriller, with Ryan Curry hitting a game-winner in the third overtime to give the team a 103-100 win over Le Moyne. Curry finished the game with 24 while Jalen Rucker scored 34 points and pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds. Josh Scovens also added 24 points, a season-high for the sophomore, while also adding 10 rebounds for the first double-double of his career. AJ Allenspach had nine points and Blake Barker added seven in Tuesday's win.
BEST IN THE PATRIOT: Two Black Knights lead the conference in noteworthy statistical categories. Senior Jalen Rucker leads the league averaging 19.5 points per game, while AJ Allenspach shoots a league-best 80 percent from the floor.
IN A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN: Senior Jalen Rucker's 34 points, 13 rebounds and five assists against Le Moyne on Tuesday was one of a kind in Div. I this year. Rucker currently is the only player in Div. I this season that has earned 30+ points, 10+ rebounds and 5+ assists in a single game against a Div. I opponent this season. The only other has been Jaron Pierre Jr. from Jacksonville State but against an NAIA opponent in Columbia International.
JACK OF ALL TRADES: Jalen Rucker also leads the team in several areas. He averages a team-best 19.5 points per game, 4.1 assists per game (second-best in the Patriot League) and 2.0 steals per game.
CURRY COOKING: Sophomore Ryan Curry leads the Black Knights shooting 48.1 percent from the 3-point line. Curry also averages 13.3 points per game, as well as ties Rucker with a team-best 4.1 assists.
PAINT PRESENCE: Forwards Josh Scovens and AJ Allenspach lead the way inside for Army. Allenspach averages a team and league-best 80 percent shooting from the field. Meanwhile, Scovens has earned a team-best 10 blocks this season. Allenspach and Scovens are one and two in terms of rebounding, with Allenspach averaging a team-best 8.4 rebounds a game while Scovens is behind him in second with 5.3 rebounds per game.
CHRISTL STRONG: The Black Knights have thrived at home this season. Army is 4-0 when they play inside of Christl Arena this season, with wins coming against UAlbany, Mount Saint Mary, FDU and Le Moyne.
History with Cornell
- Cornell leads the series, 20-13
- Current Streak: Cornell, 9 wins
- Last Army win: Jan. 2, 1999, 64-63
- Last Colgate win: Nov. 20, 2007, 93-78
- Last Five Meetings: Cornell leads 5-0
- Nov. 20, 2007 (Ithaca): ARMY 78, CU 93
- Nov. 21, 2006 (West Point): ARMY 56, CU 65
- Dec. 20, 2005 (Ithaca): ARMY 39, CU 74
- Jan. 2, 2005 (West Point): ARMY 51, CU 58
- Nov. 29, 2003 (Rochester, N.Y.): ARMY 66, CU 79
- Cornell currently sits at a 5-3 record in their first eight games this season. Its most recent win came on Wednesday in a dominant road win against Colgate, 84-57.
- Head coach Jon Jaques is in his first year as head coach after serving on the coaching staff at Cornell since 2013. Jaques also played collegiately for four years at Cornell, being part of Cornell's 2010 NCAA Sweet 16 team.
- Cooper Noard and Jake Fiegan both lead the team in points per game, averaging 12.5 per game.
- AK Okereke leads the team with 4.5 assists while also averaging 10.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
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