Columbia
AMERICAN
Men's Basketball Tops American, 52-43
11/29/2014 5:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BOX SCORE (.html) | BOX SCORE (.pdf)
NEW YORK - Maodo Lo put in a season high 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the way for the Columbia men's basketball team, who topped American, 52-43. With the win, the Lions improve to 4-1 on the season, earning the win for the fourth straight game.
American got off to a fast start, holding a 9-3 lead at the 15:20 mark in the first. Over the next four minutes, Columbia went on an 8-2 run, going out in front, 13-11, thanks to buckets by Jeff Coby, Lo, Nate Hickman, and Cory Osetkowski.
The Lions were in control for much of the rest of the first half, not giving up the lead for the entire way. Leading 22-21 with time winding down, Lo grabbed a steal and took it all the way for a layup with eight seconds left, sending Columbia into the locker room with a 24-21 lead.
The Eagles would start the second half much like the first, jumping out to a 30-26 lead after two foul shots went in from Pee Wee Gardner. Another Lo layup and two foul shots from Coby helped Columbia re-gain the lead, 32-30, in the back-and-forth battle.
With Columbia leading by three and under five minutes remaining, Lo drilled his second three-pointer of the game giving the Lions a 47-41 lead.
The score would sit at that mark for the next three minutes and change, until Lo found Isaac Cohen under the hoop for an easy layup with 1:16 to play. The 49-41 lead proved to be too much for American, as Columbia went on to win, 52-31.
Lo's 20 points were a season high, and he also led the team in rebounds, grabbing nine, all on the defensive end. Coby was the only other Lion in double-figures, scoring 10 points on a perfect 4-4 day from the field. Osetkowski paced Columbia with eight points and seven boards.
John Schoof led the way for American with 11 points, while Gardner scored eight, and Kevin Panzer added seven.
Columbia will try for five straight wins on Tuesday, when Loyola (Md.) visits Levien Gymnasium in a 7 p.m. tip.
