Wall, top-seeded Kentucky overcome early deficit, outscrap Cornell 62-45 to reach East final

Wall, top-seeded Kentucky outscrap Cornell 62-45

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — John Wall and top-seeded Kentucky overcame an early deficit with a swarming defense, stopping Cornell’s captivating NCAA tournament run with a 62-45 win Thursday night in the East Regional semifinals.

With much of the Carrier Dome crowd — and the country — pulling for an upset by the 12th-seeded Ivy Leaguers, Cornell bolted to a 10-2 lead in the opening minutes.

But quickly, Wall and the Wildcats (35-2) displayed all the NBA-caliber talent that makes them a traditional powerhouse. Kentucky led 32-16 at halftime and made it 38-21 before Cornell (29-5) climbed back into it.

Ahead by 40-34 with 5½ minutes left, coach John Calipari’s team kept its composure and advanced to play No. 2 seed West Virginia on Saturday for a spot in the Final Four.