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Cornell Edges Pepperdine 86-85 on Beccles Layup

Jacob Beccles scored the game-winning layup with 24 seconds left as Cornell beat Pepperdine in its season opener.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Basketball

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Cornell edged Pepperdine 86-85 on Monday in Ithaca, N.Y., as Jacob Beccles hit the game-winning layup with 24 seconds left in the season opener. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Cornell defeated Pepperdine 86-85 on Monday, November 2, 2026, in Ithaca, N.Y. Jacob Beccles scored 19 points for Cornell, including the game-winning layup with 24 seconds remaining.

Why it matters

The win gives Cornell a 1-0 start to the season, while Pepperdine falls to 0-1 after a close opening loss. Both teams return to action Thursday.

Beccles shot 7 of 12 from the field, including 4 of 6 from three-point range, while teammate Mateen Rafiq shot 6 of 9 with 4 of 6 from deep. Pepperdine's Alex Constanza led all scorers with 25 points in the 86-85 loss, but the stub does not detail his shooting efficiency.

The players

Jacob Beccles

Cornell guard who scored 19 points and the game-winning layup in the win over Pepperdine.

Alex Constanza

Pepperdine player who led all scorers with 25 points in the narrow loss to Cornell.

The details

Cornell led 46-40 at halftime before the teams traded baskets in a tight second half. Beccles's layup with 24 seconds left provided the margin, with Mateen Rafiq adding 17 points and Kasper Sepp 13 for Cornell.

Timeline

  1. Monday, November 2, 2026: Cornell defeats Pepperdine 86-85 in Ithaca, N.Y.

  2. Thursday, November 5, 2026: Cornell visits Lehigh; Pepperdine hosts La Sierra.

Season Trajectory

An opening-night one-point win gives Cornell an early 1-0 mark, but with only one game played, the result does not yet shift any conference standings or postseason picture. Pepperdine's 0-1 start leaves little room for error across the remaining schedule.

Cornell's 1-0 start and Pepperdine's 0-1 record set up different early-season paths, with Thursday's games offering the next scheduling check. The stub does not provide fantasy or roster implications beyond the box score.

The takeaway

Early results in a college basketball season can hinge on single possessions, as Cornell's late layup demonstrated. Readers following either program should watch Thursday's road and home matchups for the first real pattern.

What happens next

Cornell visits Lehigh and Pepperdine hosts La Sierra on Thursday, November 5, 2026.

Further reading

Explore more Basketball coverage for context on the season's opening results.