Cornell basketball opened up the 2009-10 campaign with a win in Tuscaloosa, Ala., against Alabama, 71-67, on Saturday. The Red (1-0, 0-0 Ivy) showed its dominance in the heart of the SEC, and picked up its third-straight season-opening victory. Senior Ryan Wittman led the Red, picking up 23 points, three rebounds and five from beyond the arc. The pentagonal efforts of Wittman, senior Jeff Foote, senior Louis Dale, sophomore Chris Wroblewski and senior Alex Tyler combined for 59 of the Red’s 71 points on Saturday afternoon.

The men’s basketball team is headed to Alabama to open the 2009-10 season. High expectations accompany a Red squad that some expect to have a year for the ages in the Ivy League. Although Cornell’s roster is loaded by Ivy League standards, a season-opening matchup against an opponent from the Southeastern Conference will provide an early measuring stick by which to gauge the team.

Men's basketball head coach Steve Donahue announced that sophomore Chris Wroblewski will start over senior Geoff Reeves at shooting guard in the Red's season opener on Saturday.

"In general, I think another ballhandler against a real athletic defensive team like Alabama probably helps us more off the start," Donahue said.