ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) - Penn State improved its accuracy from long range and took better care of the basketball in the second half Wednesday during a 74-67 win over Cornell.
Tim Frazier had 17 points for Penn State (8-5), Cammeron Woodyard and Trey Lewis added 13 each and Jermaine Marshall had 12. The Nittany Lions, who shot 38 percent from the field, connected on 7 of 14 3-pointers in the second half. Penn State had entered the game with a 32 percent conversion rate from the arc.
"I think that's the first time all year they shot that way," Cornell coach Bill Courtney said.
Cornell's Drew Ferry scored 20 points, making 6 of 11 from 3-point range. Shonn Miller scored 15 points and Galal Cancer added 10. The Big Red (4-6), which squandered an eight-point first-half lead, shot 38 percent from the field.
The Nittany Lions turned the ball over 10 times in the first half and trailed 31-30 at the break but committed only two turnovers in the second half.
"We just gotta slow down, and that's what we did in the second half," Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said. "We had a much better pace, and I think that's why we didn't turn the ball over as much."
Marshall's driving layup gave Penn State a 68-64 lead with 35 seconds left and Billy Oliver drew a charge by Cornell point guard Chris Wroblewski on the ensuing possession.
Woodyard made two free throws and Ferry answered with a 3-pointer to pull Cornell within three, 70-67. Free throws by Woodyard and Frazier accounted for the final margin.
Frazier, one of the few veterans on the team, hopes the late-game execution holds up when Penn State begins its Big Ten season at Michigan on Dec. 29.
"There's so many games where one possession means so much at the end," Frazier said. "We really need to focus on that; take care of the ball and take care of the little things."
