ITHACA, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a dominant defensive start and a resilient finish, the Colgate Raiders remained undefeated, outlasting the Cornell Big Red 60 to 54 in a non-conference women’s basketball contest Tuesday night at Newman Arena.

Colgate improved its record to 4 wins and 0 losses, while Cornell moved to 2 wins and 3 losses.

The Raiders seized control of the game from the opening tip, holding the Big Red to a mere 15 points in the entire first half. Colgate’s defense was suffocating, particularly in the second quarter where they limited Cornell to just six points. The Raiders built a commanding 30 to 15 lead by halftime, a deficit that proved insurmountable for the home team despite a furious second-half rally.

Cornell emerged from the locker room with renewed energy, unleashing a 26-point third quarter that completely reshaped the game. The Big Red’s offense, which had been stagnant and inefficient in the first half, found its rhythm, outscoring Colgate by 13 points in the period. The surge cut Colgate’s once-comfortable lead to a precarious 43 to 41 margin heading into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter became a tense, back-and-forth affair. Colgate, however, demonstrated the poise of an undefeated team, making critical plays down the stretch to stymie Cornell’s comeback bid. The Raiders scored 17 points in the final frame, consistently answering every Big Red push to secure the six-point victory.

The game was a tale of two halves statistically, reflecting the shifting momentum. Colgate finished the game shooting 47.8 percent from the floor on 22 of 46 shooting, while Cornell was held to 35.7 percent, making 20 of 56 attempts. From beyond the arc, Colgate connected on 6 of 24 attempts, and Cornell made 7 of 22. The Raiders were more efficient from the free-throw line, converting 10 of 13 attempts compared to Cornell’s 7 of 13.

Colgate’s offensive execution was more effective, scoring 60 points from 59 possessions for an offensive rating of 101.4. Cornell, hampered by its slow start, managed only 54 points from 65 possessions, resulting in a lower offensive rating of 82.9. Turnovers were nearly even, with Colgate committing 15 and Cornell committing 12.

Anne Bair led the Raiders with 15 points and four assists in 38 minutes of action, providing crucial leadership and scoring. She was complemented by Ella Meabon, who also scored 15 points. Abbey Ferguson added nine points, two assists and a block in a team-high 39 minutes, while Amarah Streiff contributed eight points, three assists and a block.

For Cornell, the third-quarter explosion was fueled by Emily Pape and Paige Engels, who each scored a game-high 18 points. Pape added two assists, and Engels dished out three. Kelsey Langston facilitated the offense with three assists.

The Raiders’ early-season success continues as they head into a road game against Quinnipiac on Sunday. Cornell will look to rebound when they travel to face Le Moyne on Saturday. The announced attendance at Newman Arena was 382.