NEW YORK – The Columbia women's basketball team won impressively in its 2018-19 home opener, topping Army West Point, 70-49, Monday night at Levien Gymnasium.
 
Columbia (2-0) outscored the Black Knights (1-1) 21-9 in the third quarter and were boosted by first-year Sienna Durr's game-high 21 points. The rookie out of Grinnell, Iowa, shot 10-of-17 from the floor, added a team-high seven rebounds and filled up the stat sheet with an assist, block and steal. She helped the Lions take the lead for good with an eight-point second quarter, including a layup at the buzzer to send Columbia into the break up five.
 
The Lions also got a career night from junior Stephanie Flynn, who scored 10 points off a sharp night from beyond the arc. The Hanover, Massachusetts, native was 3-of-5 from long range and added a career-high six rebounds to her evening.
 
"Steph Flynn was probably my favorite player of the game," Columbia head coach Megan Griffith said. "She was a monster tonight. I'm not just talking about the points she scored either – she was the best defender on the floor. She shut down Army's best player, ran the floor, rebounded for us and did everything we asked. That's what she's shown us every day in preseason and ever since we started practice."
 
Flynn held Madison Hovren, who went for 20 points and 12 rebounds in Army's season-opening win at LIU Brooklyn, to just 13 points on 5-of-13 shooting. Columbia's defense also held the Black Knights to just 31 percent shooting, which included an 0-for-11 mark from 3-point range.
 
Columbia came up with 12 steals and turned the Black Knights over 16 times, outscoring them 21-6 in points off turnovers. Meanwhile, the Lions turned it over just 10 times and put up 15 assists. Janiya Clemmons led the way, tying her career-high of three steals to go with three assists, eight points (4-6 FG) and three boards. The junior had the mid-range game working, hitting two punishing jumpers as part of Columbia's 9-0 run to start of the second half.
 
The Lions were 6-of-11 from downtown in the second half. Flynn and sophomore Riley Casey went back-to-back on two 3-pointers that put the home side up by 18 with 2:45 to go in the third quarter. It capped a run that saw Columbia score 17 of the half's first 21 points. The Lions kept the pressure on in the fourth quarter when first-year Madison Hardy splashed home two triples in a matter of two minutes. Her second gave the Lions their largest lead of the night, 61-39, with 6:17 remaining.
 
Army pressured the Lions through a defensive first quarter that saw the Cadets lead 12-9. They led by as many as four before the tide began to turn in the second quarter. Kate Murray led the way with 13 points and 12 rebounds off the bench.
 
Columbia takes off for two games in the Midwest this weekend. The Lions will take on Milwaukee Friday night at 8 p.m. ET before heading down to Champaign, Illinois, for a battle against the Fighting Illini Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.
 
POST-GAME NOTES
- Columbia has now won two of its last three meetings against Army and improved to 4-10 in the all-time series against the Cadets.
 
- Columbia's 21-point margin of victory was its largest in a home opener since defeating Sacred Heart, 79-55, in 2009.
 
- Stephanie Flynn posted career-highs in points (10), rebounds (6) and 3-pointers made (3)
 
- Columbia's 12 steals were its most in a game since going for 23 against Central Penn on Jan. 3, 2016. The 12 steals were the most against a Div. I opponent since recording 13 against Vermont on Nov. 17, 2015.

WATCH ON ESPN+
After the Ivy League announced its partnership with ESPN, all home and Ivy League games are scheduled to be played on the ESPN+ this fall. To sign up for ESPN+ for as low as $4.99/month or $49.99/annually, and catch all the action this season click here.