Stung by Defeat, Cornell Savors Its Season

After the 62-45 defeat, Cornell Coach Steve Donahue gathered his team for the final time. They tried in vain to hold back tears, as they told the group how proud they was of them.

The Cornell basketball team’s charmed N.C.A.A. tournament run ended here on Thursday night. What began with a vibrant roar of optimism after leaping to a 10-2 ended with the sobering reality that they lost to a better, more physical & more gifted team.

Donahue told the group that they hoped they could someday coach another senior class that was so unselfish, so dedicated to winning.

“He cried a tiny but, but they was holding it back,” the Cornell senior Alex Tyler said. “A lot of us were.”

Cornell fought back to make the game respectable, switching defenses & holding Kentucky to 6 points in the first 12 minutes of the first half. But Kentucky used its physical superiority to ward off Cornell’s run, going once in the post to the 6-foot-11 freshman DeMarcus Cousins when things got tight.

“It’s hard to describe how great these guys are in this day & age, it’s like they’re from the 1950s,” they said. “They’re a throwback. They’re corny & goofy & fun-loving yet they compete like animals when they’re on the court. It’s the best as a coach.”

In the locker room, despite the bitter disappointment, Cornell players held point of view on what they accomplished.

“I can’t believe it’s over right now,” the senior Jon Jaques said. “We expected to win this game, to be honest. Shots didn’t fall like they normally do & Kentucky played well.”

“Obviously it’s been the time of my life,” the senior star Ryan Wittman said. “I couldn’t have asked for anything more, this group of guys & this coaching staff. It’s been a ton of fun. I’ll have nothing but lovely memories.”