Men's Basketball Welcomes Loyola (Md.) Tuesday Night
12/1/2014 4:49:00 PM | Men's Basketball
GAME NOTES (.pdf)
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2 • 7 P.M. |
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| (4-1) | (2-4) |
| GAMEDAY INFO | |
| LIVE VIDEO/AUDIO |  |
| ANNOUNCERS | Jerry Recco & James Buford |
| LIVE STATS | |
| IN-GAME UPDATES | @CULionsMBB |
COLUMBIA'S STATUS
The Lions improved to 3-0 at home and won their fourth-straight after a 52-43 win over American Saturday afternoon. Columbia held its opponent to under 50 points for the third consecutive game. Maodo Lo scored a season-high 20 points and pulled down nine boards to lead the way.
LOYOLA'S STATUS
The Greyhounds have dropped three-straight, including an 81-71 decision against Siena, who is led by Loyola's former head coach Jimmy Patsos, Saturday. Despite the 2-4 record, Loyola has faced a tough early schedule, facing the likes of Texas Tech, Butler and Syracuse on the road. The Greyhounds have already knocked off one Ivy League foe, topping Cornell, 76-71, on Nov. 16.
SERIES HISTORY
This marks just the third all-time meeting between Columbia and Loyola and the first since Dec. 5, 1981. The Lions have claimed both contests, winning the first meeting in January of 1980, 70-53, on a neutral floor and grinding out a 40-39 victory in Levien Gym on Dec. 5, 1981.
COLUMBIA VS. THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
Columbia has a rich history playing teams in the Patriot League. The Lions are 125-96 against teams currently in the conference. Columbia's most common opponent is Army, who they have faced 57 times. The Lions will also take on Bucknell and Colgate and have already beaten Lehigh on the road Nov. 23 and defending Patriot League Champs American on Nov. 29.
THE DEFENSE NEVER RESTS
The Lions' defense this season has been superb thus far. They are allowing just 49.4 points per game, good for fifth in the country, opponents are shooting .222 from downtown, which ranks seventh in the NCAA. Both numbers are also Ivy League standards.
LOCKING IT UP
Columbia has held opponents under 50 points in the last three games. It is the first time that has happened since 2002 when the Lions did it in four consecutive games from Jan. 15-Feb. 1. (At Albany - L, 40-41, Cornell - W, 56-40, at Cornell - W, 54-42, at Princeton - L, 41-49).
GLUE GUY
Every team needs one and that's what the Lions have in junior Isaac Cohen. The 6-4 guard is currently leading the Ivy League in assists at 5.6 per game and is pulling down 8.2 rebounds per game, good for second in the conference.
MORE ON IKE
Cohen has handed out five or more assists in all five games this season, the longest stretch for a Columbia player since Brian Barbour accomplished the feat in six-straight spanning two seasons (last five games of 2011-12 and first game of 2012-13). The Orlando, Florida, native also had 10 rebounds in back-to-back contests against Lehigh and FDU, becoming the first player to record double-figure rebounds in consecutive games since Mark Cisco hauled in 10 or more in three-straight during Ivy League play in 2012.
KLEPTOMANIAC
Maodo Lo set a new personal standard with five steals against Wagner on Nov. 18. He became the first Lion to record five or more swipes since Brian Barbour was credited with five steals against Brown in March of 2013. He is the early Ancient Eight leader in the category, averaging 3.0 swipes per contest.
THE LIONS' DEN
So far, the Lions are continuing their home dominance with a 3-0 record and have won two of the three games by double figures. Last season, Columbia won 14 games in Levien Gymnasium, the most since the building opened its doors in 1974. In the Kyle Smith era, the Lions are 41-21 in front of their home fans.
JAZZY JEFF
Sophomore Jeff Coby had a breakout game at Lehigh on Nov. 14, notching 16 points and 12 rebounds off the bench for his first career double-double. Both totals marked personal-bests.
CLEANING UP THE GLASS
Isaac Cohen and Jeff Coby each recorded double-figure rebounds at Lehigh on Nov. 14 becoming the first Lion duo to pull down 10+ boards in the same game since Dec. 8, 2008 when Asenso Ampin and Jason Miller recorded 11 each.
LIONS GROUND MOUNTAIN HAWKS
Columbia held Lehigh without a 3-point field goal (0-for-13), marking the first time a Lion opponent failed to register a trey since Michigan State went 0-for-5 on Nov. 15, 2013.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Columbia is 82-32 all-time in home openers and have won six of its last seven debuts in Levien Gymnasium after dispatching Wagner, 70-56, on Nov. 18.
BLOCK PARTY
With his three rejections in the first two games of the season, senior Cory Osetkowski moved into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time block list. He now has 75 for his career and is 26 shy of Jamal Adams, who sits in fourth.
