Strictly in terms of natural ability, the Kentucky men’s basketball team is in a class above No. 12-seed Cornell.
The top-seed Wildcats have been a dominating force on the court, overwhelming opponents with their size and athleticism. They boast a 32-4 record, a Southeastern Conference title and a host of McDonald’s High School All-Americans that have developed into probable first-round NBA draft picks.
And Cornell coach Steve Donahue recognizes that his players won’t stack up athletically when they take the court tonight in the teams’ Sweet 16 showdown.
“When [they] have three or four first-round NBA picks, and you’re an Ivy League school with, obviously, different goals professionally afterwards, there’s [that] feeling,” he said.
Yet throughout their remarkable run to a third-straight conference title and two tournament wins, the Big Red (29-4, 13-1 Ivy League) have prevailed with precise execution and pinpoint shooting.
Both Donahue and Wildcats coach John Calipari pointed to Cornell’s wealth of experience as the factor that evens the playing field.
“Cornell is a veteran team,” Calipari said in a press conference. “You’re talking about seniors that have been through wars.”
Indeed, the Big Red roster features nine seniors, three of whom — Louis Dale, Ryan Wittman and Jeff Foote — have figured heavily in Cornell’s postseason victories.
The veteran presence they provide has produced a more disciplined, methodical playing style than their SEC counterparts, relying more on the fundamentals than on raw talent.
“I think both teams play great basketball,” Donahue said. “The styles [of both teams] are obviously extremely different.”
But Donahue was quick to point out that there’s more to Kentucky (32-4, 14-2 SEC) than just terrific athletes like freshmen phenoms John Wall, Eric Bledsoe and DeMarcus Cousins.
He claimed that it takes playing the game “the right way” and not just athletic talent to be successful.
Calipari agreed, noting that if the Wildcats can’t find a way to disrupt Cornell’s stellar perimeter shooting and intense team defense, they might as well call it a season.
“Let me say this: they defend better than you think. They defend to their strengths,” Calipari said.
And against an explosive Kentucky team, Cornell’s greatest strength will be something that any Penn student would cringe to admit about their buddies in Ithaca: Ivy League intelligence.
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