MOUNT VERNON – Cornell's men's basketball team found a way in crunch time against scrappy Beloit to claim a hard-earned 59-52 Midwest Conference win Saturday afternoon inside the Small Athletic and Wellness Center.  
 
With their third straight victory, the Rams (6-17 overall, 5-9 MWC) remain in postseason contention for a top-four berth with two games to go. Cornell is tied for sixth place with Lawrence, and behind Illinois College (7-7 MWC) and Knox (6-8 MWC).
 
Cornell freshmen guards Kylen Bonner and Wayne Jurica tossed in 12 points apiece and accounted for the team's final seven points with the game in the balance.
 
Bonner sank a free throw that put the Rams ahead 53-50 with 5:07 left. Jurica converted three buckets in the paint, his final field goal providing the final 59-52 margin with 1:51 remaining.
 
Cornell held the Buccaneers (5-18 overall, 0-14 MWC) without a field goal over the final 7:45 of regulation. Beloit shot just 29.2 percent from the floor, including an icy 1-of-17 from 3-point land.   
 
The Rams overcame a tough 5-of-24 shooting day from long range. Cornell had made 35 3-pointers in its previous two games.
 
Bonner reached double figures scoring for the 11th straight game, while adding four assists, four rebounds and three steals.
 
Freshman forward Cristian Acevedo contributed seven points and a game-high nine rebounds despite foul trouble. Joseph Hudson added eight points and five rebounds off the bench.
 
Coming up – The Rams face a must-win game against Illinois College (10-13 overall, 7-7 MWC) at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in Jacksonville, Ill. The Blueboys won the first meeting, 77-61.