Louis Dale is guarded by Temple guards Ryan Brooks, left, and T.J. DiLeo. (AP)

The skies in Jacksonville are sunny, where Cornell is platooned this week for the NCAA Tournament. It’s been a pretty perfect week for Cornell so far, but the team isn’t nearly as content as you might expect them to be.

At least, that’s not the impression I got when Jon Jaques and Louis Dale talked to me last night from their hotel room as they watched the final window of the first round games.

There was/is a lot of pressure on this team to not only live up to the hype that’s existed ever since it nearly defeated Kansas at Phog Allen earlier this season, but also exceed it; there was no more popular upset pick in this year’s bracket than Cornell over Temple.

“The first tournament win for an Ivy League team in more than 10 years is obviously really special,” said Jaques, “and it’s something our team and this class is going to cherish and look back on fondly.”

The win inspired Jaques, a deadly 3-point shooter, to add this:

“We’re one of the best Ivy League teams in the past 25 years and of all time, I think.”

Dale, who scored 21 points and dished seven dimes, deflected praise on his dynamic performance in favor of love for the man that makes Cornell such a dynamic team.

“I wanted to come out, be aggressive and set the tone by leading our team through my play,” he said. “As far as me and Ryan [Wittman] having a good game, it all starts with Jeff Foote down low. He attracts teams’ attention and they worry about him in their game plan. He’s a really good screens … and just swallows up guys [on screens].”

Dale compared Temple to St. John’s because “they were athletic, and on the offensive end they had guys who could rebound an guys who penetrate and have one or two shooters.”

And while Cornell went up against a team that resembled a foe it played this year, Dale said Temple never faced anyone like he and his teammates. The 1-3-1 defense was a twist Steve Donahue threw at his former mentor, Fran Dunphy, and Temple was left to its own improvising devices to try and get the shots to fall at a similar rate as Cornell’s. It didn’t work.

Neither Jaques or Dale had an inflection in their voice of satisfaction. Excitement? Sure. Pride? Yep. But reaching the second weekend is the foreseeable, manageable goal.

“We’re a team that can pass well and has unlimited shooters on the court and the presence of Jeff down low,” he said. “I think we were just a different matchup than they faced all year.”

Now it’s Wisconsin on Sunday, a team similar to Temple in that it’s terrific in its defense no matter if it’s three or 23 feet from the hoop. Pundits have already chimed in and said Cornell stands a good chance to win again, though it hasn’t come as heavily as the prediction over Temple did. The factors for that are obvious: it’s one round later in The Tournament, Wisconsin is seeded higher, has extensive history in this Tournament and comes from a BCS conference.

Cornell’s players sat in the arena during the first half of Wisconsin’s nail-biting 53-49 win over Wofford. They’ll watch film on Saturday before getting a little free time to enjoy giving its school the first Tournament win in its history. Neither Jaques or Dale had an inflection in their voice of satisfaction. Excitement? Sure. Pride? Yep. But reaching the second weekend is the foreseeable, manageable goal.

“We have a lot more to accomplish,” Jaques said. “There are high expectations for us. We had celebration in the locker but we’re looking forward to Wisconsin.”

Jaques didn’t find much value in comparing one team to another, but didn’t dismiss the fact that the Big Red’s strategy for winning Friday coudn’t be part of the grand plan for Sunday.

“[Wisconsin is] a physical and a great defensive team like Temple, but  I’m not sure how them being similar to Temple helps us or hurts us,” Jaques said. “They had a tough game against Wofford, so they should be ready.”

Dale offered up this take on the no-so-stark contrasts between Owls and Badgers.

“I think they’re similar to Temple in that they play really good man-to-man defense and keep 3-point shooting percentages down,” he said. “As far as their offense, I don’t know too much about that. I know they like to grind it out. They’re more deliberate as far running their plays.”

What’s interesting about this team is how clearly both of these guys came across in not being satisfied. That’s something any mid-major and low-major team can say, but it’s not easy to fake. Friday’s win proved what so many believed all season: The Big Red is the real deal.

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