NEW YORK – Maodo Lo scored 23 points to help the Columbia men's basketball team hold off Brown, 66-63, Friday night. The Lions improved to 21-9 overall and 10-3 in Ivy League play.
Lo also added two steals to tie the Columbia single-season record of 68. Jeff Coby provided 12 points and eight rebounds and Nate Hickman provided 16 key minutes off the bench and notched 10 points.
Columbia led 55-48 after a pair of Hickman free throws with 7:37 on the clock, but was held to just one field goal over a span of 5:28 as the Bears (8-19, 3-10) made it a one-point game after a dunk by Cedric Kuakumensah.
It was Hickman who ended the rally, attacking the basket against Kuakumensah and finishing with a layup to make it 62-59 at the 2:36 mark. The teams then traded bucket to keep it a one-point game with 1:00 left in regulation.
The Lions missed a shot, but retained possession, worked the clock down to 14 seconds before committing a turnover. Steven Spieth sprinted down the floor, lost his balance and control of the ball and Lo came up with it and used a timeout with four seconds to go.
Grant Mullins was fouled and sank both free throws with 3.5 seconds remaining, but Brown had one last chance. Obi Okoli took a desperation heave from 40 feet out that came up way short, giving Columbia the win.
In the first half, the Lions used a 12-0 run to take a 22-11 lead with 6:41 left in the half, but the Bears hit eight of their final 10 shots of the half to make it a two-point game at the half, buoyed by 4-of-4 shooting from downtown from JR Hobbie.
Hobbie finished with 23 points and seven 3-pointers. Kuakumensah added eight points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.
The will close out the regular season tomorrow night against Yale at 7 p.m. The game is SOLD OUT! A limited number of standing room only tickets will be available at the box office on 120th Street and Broadway beginning at 6 p.m. on game night. Students admission is FREE with a valid Columbia University or Barnard College ID, but seating is limited so be sure to arrive early. If you can't make it to the game, watch it live on the Ivy League Digital Network.
NOTES: The 21 victories are the most regular season wins for the program since 1950-51 (23)… Mullins dished out a career-high nine assists.
