Cornley cements legacy

Jamelle Cornley's performance in Penn State's gutsy win over Florida in the NIT quarterfinals Tuesday night ranks among the most courageous in memory.

I'm old enough to remember when Willis Reed limped out of the locker room at Madison Square Garden to join the Knicks' lineup against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1970 NBA Finals.

It's difficult to remember a basketball player more heavily bandaged than Cornley's shoulder was against the Gators.

And when Florida encouraged its loud crowd by rallying back from a double-digit deficit to pull within two points, it was Cornley, a senior and the team's heart-and-soul, who took charge for a low-post bucket to help put the game away.

Regardless of whether the Lions win the NIT or not, few Penn State athletes will leave with a better legacy.