Columbia Heads Down to Saint Joseph's Thursday

Thursday, November 29

Philadelphia, Pa. / Hagan Arena

7:00 P.M.

Columbia University

Saint Joseph's

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First-year Sienna Durr ranks No. 3 in the Ivy League in field goal percentage (.517) and free throw percentage (.760).

Photo by: Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin

11/28/2018 9:05:00 AM | Women's Basketball

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Lions look to snap four-game skid in first ever matchup against the Hawks

NEW YORK – The Columbia women's basketball team (2-4) and Saint Joseph's (2-4) face off for the first time on the hardwood when the Lions visit Hagan Arena on Thursday for a 7 p.m. tip. The game will air live on ESPN+.

OPENING TIPS
• First-year Mikayla Markham is the reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Week after averaging 7.0 points, 8.5 assists, 3.0 steals and 2.5 rebounds in games against Houston and Colgate last week. Markham went for a season-high 10 assists against the Cougars, becoming the first Lion in 10 years to post a 10-assist game. She is one of five freshmen in the NCAA this season to have 10 assists in one of their first five games, and one of only two freshmen to do so against a Div. I opponent. She leads the Ivy League in assists (31) and assists per game (5.2).

• First-year Madison Hardy is on the heels of back-to-back 17-point games off the bench and was named to the Ivy League Honor Roll on Monday. Hardy's 17 points are the most by a Lion off the bench since Devon Roeper scored 18 in a quadruple overtime victory at Dartmouth on Jan. 27, 2017.

• Columbia has taken 30-plus 3-point attempts in each of its last three games. The Lions were 13-of-31 (.419) last Wednesday against Houston and 12-for-34 (.353) on Sunday at Colgate. Columbia ranks 38th nationally in 3-pointers made per game (8.8) and 24th in total 3-point attempts (161).

• The Lions are 4-14 all-time against the current members of the Atlantic 10 Conference. Columbia is 2-2 in its last four meetings against A-10 opponents, splitting home-and-home series with Richmond (2016-17, 2017-18) and Rhode Island (2014-15, 2015-16). The Lions will make a local trip to Fordham on Dec. 11.

• Columbia hopes to end a four-game losing streak after starting the season 2-0. St. Joseph's marks the second game of a three-game road trip which concludes on Sunday at Boston College.

• Columbia's first-year class has provided 54 percent of the team's points, 49 percent of its rebounds and 61 percent of its assists this season.

• First-year Sienna Durr leads Columbia in scoring (13.8 ppg) and ranks No. 6 in the Ivy League. Durr is also shooting 51.7 percent from the field and 76.0 percent from the stripe, both of which rank No. 3 in the league.

• First-year Mikayla Markham ranks No. 2 in the Ivy League in minutes played (35.5/game).

• Sophomore Riley Casey is 12-for-30 (.400) from 3-point range and ranks No. 2 in the league in 3-point field goal percentage. First-year Madison Hardy is 15-for-39 (.385) and ranks No. 3.

• Janiya Clemmons was named to the Ivy League Honor Roll each of the first two weeks. She is averaging 9.8 points, a team-best 6.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

• Columbia has scored between 65 and 72 points in each of its first six games.

SCOUTING SAINT JOSEPH'S
• Saint Joseph's (2-4) enters Thursday having won two of its last three games after starting the season 0-3. The Hawks defeated Loyola Maryland, 49-46, on Sunday in the consolation game of the Hawk Classic. They fell to Rider, 56-54, the day prior. Saint Joseph's likes to play a slow-paced game, as evidenced by its scoring defense that allows only 55.0 points per game – top-50 in the NCAA. However, the Hawks only average 50.3 on offense, No. 336 nationally, and head into the game shooting 34.5 percent from the field and 22.4 percent from three – marks that both rank worse than 300th in the country. Senior Alyssa Monaghan leads the team offensively with 11.2 points and 3.5 assists per game. Fellow senior Michala Clay heads the effort on the glass with 5.2 rebounds. The Hawks are coached by Cindy Griffin, who is in her 18th season with the program and is the all-time wins leader with a record of 311-232 (.573).

IN RARE COMPANY
• First-year Mikayla Markham registered 10 assists last Wednesday against Houston. In doing so, Markham became the first Lion since February of 2009 to record 10 assists in a game, when Danielle Brown dished out 11 in an 88-57 victory over Brown. Markham's 10-assist performance came in just her fifth collegiate game. She is one of five freshmen in the NCAA this season to have 10 assists in one of her first five collegiate games. The other four all did it in their first game, but only one of the other four, Laura Piera of Grand Canyon, did it against a Div. I opponent. Piera had 14 assists on Nov. 9 against Incarnate Word. Markham's 10 assists were also two shy of Columbia's single-game record, accomplished twice by Charlene Schuessler '90BC, who was just inducted into the Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame in October.

#ROADTOIVYMADNESS
• The Ivy League men's and women's basketball tournaments have a new home this season. After the first two years of the tournaments were held at the Palestra in Philadelphia, this year's tournaments will be hosted by Yale at Payne Whitney Gymnasium. The top four men's and women's teams will earn berths to the tournament with the semifinals on Saturday, March 16, and the championships on Sunday, March 17. All six games will be broadcast live on ESPN's networks. For tickets and more information please visit IvyMadness.com.