MOUNT VERNON – The Rams were due for a shooting performance like this. Senior Caleb Leslie and company made it a record-setting one.
 
Cornell torched the nets with a school-record 22 made 3-point goals and blew out Lawrence, 90-65, in Midwest Conference men's basketball action Saturday at the Small Athletic and Wellness Center.
 
The Rams (4-17 overall, 3-9 MWC) were feeling it from long range all afternoon, connecting on 22-of-38 attempts for a blistering 59.1-percent clip. They shattered the program's single-game 3-point record of 18, accomplished twice in the late 1980s.  
 
Leslie fueled Cornell's 3-point explosion with 8-of-11 shooting from distance. He tied the school record for made threes in a game, now shared with Jeff Ecker (2004, twice) and Chris Heller (1991 and 1992).
 
Leslie finished his memorable day with a career-high 26 points, which included a pair of free throws. He went over 100 made threes (now with 107) in just his second season with the Rams.  
 
Leslie was among eight Rams to hit a 3-pointer. Freshman Jude Weaver had a hot hand off the bench, going 4-of-5 from 3-point land and finishing with 14 points. Keon Talgo buried three triples.
 
The Rams broke the 3-point record on a 25-footer from freshman Wayne Jurica with 4:32 left in regulation.
 
Kylen Bonner netted 10 points, followed by Talgo with nine and Cristian Acevedo and Garrett Hempen with eight apiece. Jurica posted a strong stat line with nine assists, seven points, five rebounds and three steals. Acevedo grabbed a team-high six rebounds.
 
The Rams avenged a 17-point loss to Lawrence (11-10 overall, 4-8 MWC) from Jan. 7, when the Vikings made 17 threes. Lawrence was held to 6-of-21 3-point shooting Saturday.
 
Cornell built a 38-27 lead at halftime. The Rams broke it open with 13 3-pointers in the second half.
 
Coming up – Cornell visits Ripon (4-18 overall, 4-9 MWC) at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in Ripon, Wis. The Red Hawks took the first meeting, 62-53.