Nov. 16 | 9 p.m. |Bramlage Coliseum | Manhattan, Kan.
CBE HALL OF FAME CLASSIC
Columbia
Kansas State
THE STORY LINES
COLUMBIA'S STATUS
The Lions are coming off an impressive 107-62 victory over Kean Friday. Five players scored in double-figures and Columbia outrebounded the Cougars, 60-32.
KANSAS STATE'S STATUS
The Wildcats took down Maryland-Eastern Shore, 80-53, Friday night. Wesley Iwundu led the team with a career-high 23 points and a career-tying 10 rebounds.
Kansas State started a pair of freshman, Kamau Stokes and Dean Wade, in a season opener for the first time since 2007-08.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the first meeting between the two schools.
CBE HALL OF FAME CLASSIC
Monday night's contest is part of the”host round” of the CBE Hallf of Fame Classic. Northwestern, Kansas State, North Carolina and Missouri will serve as host in the preliminary games and will play in the Championship Rounds in Kansas City on Nov. 23-24. Columbia's Nov. 24 game against Wofford will also be part of the event. The tournament, in partnership with the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), was initially established in 2001 as the Guardians Classic.
FIRST IMPRESSION
First-year CJ Davis scored a game-high 19 points in his collegiate debut against Kean, knocking down 5-of-6 from downtown, to go with five assists.
BLOCK PARTY
The Lions' 10 blocks were the most in a game since they rejected 10 shots against Brown on Feb. 15, 2002.
DOMINATING THE GLASS
Columbia's 60 rebounds were the most for the team in a single-game since grabbing 50 boards against Swarthmore on Nov. 28, 2011.
LET'S GET IT STARTED
Columbia improved to 77-38 all-time in season openers. with the convincing win over Kean.
OPENING STATEMENT
The 45-point margin of victory was the most lopsided in a season-opener for Columbia since a 95-37 victory over C.C.N.Y. to kick off the 1968-69 campaign.
HOME SWEET HOME
Columbia is now 83-32 all-time in home openers and have won seven of its last eight debuts in Levien Gymnasium after dispatching Kean on Nov. 13.
SLICK “HICK”
Sophomore Nate Hickman led Columbia's bench, which contributed 65 points, with a career-high 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting. It was the Wilmington, Delaware, native's second consecutive game scoring in double-figures after netting 10 at Princeton in last year's finale.
MULLINS, ROSENBERG RETURN
After missing all of last season due to injuries, Grant Mullins and Alex Rosenberg returned to the floor against Kean. Rosenberg notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Mullins added 11 points in his first game back since 2013-14.
