Men's Basketball Heads to No. 1 Kentucky Wednesday
12/9/2014 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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GAME NOTES (.pdf)
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10 • 7 P.M. |
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| (5-2) | (9-0) |
| GAMEDAY INFO | |
| TV |  |
| ANNOUNCERS | Tom Hart & Sean Farnham |
| LIVE VIDEO STREAM |  |
| LIVE AUDIO |  |
| ANNOUNCERS | Jerry Recco & Dalen Cuff '06CC |
| LIVE STATS | |
| IN-GAME UPDATES | @CULionsMBB & @GoColumbiaLions |
The Columbia Alumni association is also hosting a pair of events for the game.
For fans in the Kentucky area, there will be Tip-Off Party from 5-6:45 p.m. at Saul Good Restaurant and Pub in downtown Lexington. For more information, click here.
Alumni and Columbia fans in New York can attend a Viewing Party at Soldier McGee Tavern from 6:30-9 p.m. For more information, click here.
QUICK HITS
COLUMBIA'S STATUS
The Lions bounced back from their first home loss by thumping Bucknell, 62-39, Saturday night to wrap up a four-game home stand. Columbia held the Bison to 28.3 percent shooting from the floor and 2-of-15 (13.3 percent) from beyond the arc. Maodo Lo scored 20 points, while Cory Osetkowski posted 12 points, 12 boards, six assists and three blocks.
KENTUCKY'S STATUS
The Wildcats are a perfect 9-0 on the season after dispatching Eastern Kentucky Sunday night. Kentucky beaten its opponents by an average of 31.8 points per game.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be just the second meeting between these two schools and the first in 66 years. The Wildcats took that contest, 76-53, in a NCAA Tournament game at Madison Square Garden on March 18, 1948.
COLUMBIA AGAINST THE SEC
Against teams currently in the Southeastern Conference, Columbia is 4-11. The last victory over an SEC opponent came against Auburn (68-63) during the 1957-58 campaign. The Lions other wins came against Vanderbilt (34-16) in 1907-08, Georgia (61-51) on Dec. 23, 1952, and (76-57) in 1956-57.
COLUMBIA VS. RANKED TEAMS
The Lions are 6-42 all-time against teams ranked in the AP Top-25 Poll. The last time Columbia played the No. 1 team in the nation was on Dec. 26, 1975 when they fell to Indiana at Madison Square Garden. The Lions last victory against a ranked opponent technically came in 1994 after No. 14 Cal was forced to forfeit a game in which the Golden Bears played an inelgible player. The last victory on the scoreboard came at No. 19 Rutgers on Dec. 2, 1976 when the Lions topped the Scarlet Knights, 85-75. Last season, Columbia fell at No. 2 Michigan State, 63-52.
THE DEFENSE NEVER RESTS
The Lions' defense this season has been superb thus far. They are allowing just 50.0 points per game, good for fourth in the country. Columbia opponents are aslo shooting .239 from downtown which ranks seventh in the NCAA.
LOCKING IT UP
Columbia held opponents under 50 points in three straight games from Nov. 23-29 for the first time 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). For the season, Columbia has held opponents under 50 points on four occasions.
THE GIVING TREE
Senior Cory Osetkowski had his strongest game of the season against Bucknell, recording his first double-double of the year with 12 points and 12 rebounds. The 6-11 center also dished out six assists and rejected three shots. The rebound and assist totals were both career-highs.
SWISHING AND DISHING
The Lions were in the Holiday Spirit against Bucknell on Dec. 6, posting 15 assists on 22 field goal attempts. The assist total was a season-high for Columbia.
GLUE GUY
Every team needs one and that's what the Lions have in junior Isaac Cohen. The 6-4 guard is currently second in the Ivy League in assists at 5.1 per game and is pulling down 7.4 rebounds per game, which is the best among guards in the Ancient Eight and eighth overall.
MORE ON IKE
Cohen handed out five or more assists in Columbia's first 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 currently second in the Ancient Eight leader in the category, averaging 2.7 swipes per contest.
THE LIONS' DEN
So far, the Lions are continuing their home dominance with a 4-1 record and have won three of the four 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.
