NEW YORK — Mike Smith had a game-high 28 points and Ike Nweke recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, but a come-from-behind effort from UAlbany ended in a 67-66 loss for the Columbia men's basketball team inside Levien Gymnasium on Monday evening.
 
Bibbs also added a career-best 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including going 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Randy Brumant contributed 10 boards, his fourth time in double-digits this season.
 
With just 12 seconds on the clock, a pair of Smith free throws put Columbia (4-10) ahead by four. After the Lions called a timeout, UAlbany (7-8) edged within one as Malachi De Sousa hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with five seconds to play. A quick foul sent Bibbs to the charity stripe, who converted on 1-of-2 attempts, giving way to Ahmad Clark's game-tying layup with just two seconds remaining. On the inbounds play, the Lions lost possession after the ball was deflected out of bounds off Smith and the Great Danes sealed the triumph with a free throw in the final second.
 
The back-and-forth affair saw 10 lead changes and five ties with the Great Danes controlling much of the first stanza and the Lions the second. After UAlbany opened up played with a 9-0 run, which would be its largest lead of the game, Columbia responded with a 9-0 run of its own to knot things up at the 12:56 mark. The teams continued to trade leads until the Great Danes used back-to-back 3s to pull ahead 20-18 and would not trail again in the period.
 
With just under a minute to play in the first half, Bibbs used a steal and breakaway dunk to pull back within four, 28-24. Another steal from Nweke followed before Bibbs was fouled, going 1-of-2 from the line, and the Lions would head to the locker room trailing closely, 28-25.
 
Out of the break, Columbia found its rhythm as Nweke ignited a 7-0 run. A monster block from Brumant helped facilitate the game-tying 3-pointer from Smith on the other end to tie things up at 34 apiece before Jake Killingsworth tacked on the go-ahead bucket.
 
Columbia led by as many as eight after a pair of Smith free throws with 5:32 on the clock, but the Great Danes clawed their way back within two with 2:27 to play before calling a timeout. Out of the huddle, Bibbs drilled a three from the right side to lengthen the lead back to five, but UAlbany responded with a quick score of their own and the teams would continue to trade scores until the final seconds.
 
After shooting just 31.3 percent from the floor in the first half, the Lions improved to 50 percent from the field in the second half.
 
The Lions took advantage of 13 UAlbany turnovers, posting 16 points off those mistakes. Both teams were even at 24 points in the paint.
 
Columbia will hit the road to open the new year, squaring off against the Maine Black Bears on Thursday, Jan. 2 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
 
For the latest on the Columbia men's basketball, follow @CULionsMBB on Twitter and Instagram, and the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.