PROVIDENCE, R.I. — First-year Madison Hardy hit two go-ahead 3-pointers in the final minute, including the game-winning triple with 15.1 seconds to go, and the Columbia women's basketball team held on in dramatic fashion to defeat Brown, 83-81, Saturday night at the Pizzitola Sports Center.
Columbia (7-14, 3-5 Ivy) entered the final minute trailing by a point. Junior Janiya Clemmons drove the lane and kicked it out to Hardy in front of the Lions bench, who sank her first go-ahead triple to put Columbia up, 79-77. Brown (9-15, 1-7 Ivy) tied the game with two free throws on its next possession but Hardy came to the rescue once again. The rookie out of Gaithersburg, Maryland freed herself up on the left wing and elated the Columbia bench with her second straight triple to put the Lions up three.
After Brown made a pair of free throws and Columbia hit 1-of-2, the Bears inbounded down two with 11.1 seconds left. Dominque Leonidas drove the length of the floor and attempted a layup over the hands of first-year Lilian Kennedy. Leonidas' attempt missed but Brown's Mary Butler picked up the rebound and got off another shot that rolled around the rim before falling into the hands of Riley Casey as the buzzer sounded.
"Both teams really wanted that win and you can tell by the reactions after the game," Columbia head coach Megan Griffith stated in her post-game interview. "Credit to Brown, I thought they fought really hard … but that last minute, all you can say is it helps your team … I'm happy we came out with it today."
First-year Sienna Durr scored 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting to lead a group of four double-figure scorers for the Lions. Clemmons added 16 while first-year Lilian Kennedy was a perfect 6-of-6 from the field on her way to a career-high 13. Hardy had 11 off the bench, eight of which came in the fourth quarter.
"I just needed to do whatever my team needed me to do and I'm happy I was able to pull through," Hardy said. "I thought we had really good pressure early on but Brown fought back. We stuck to our game plan and stuck to what Coach [Griffith] told us."
Columbia outrebounded Brown by five thanks in large part to a career-high 10 by Casey. She also contributed with a career-high seven assists and two blocks despite an off-shooting night. First-year Mikayla Markham was good for six points, six rebounds and four assists. Junior Stephanie Flynn added eight points and five boards.
Justine Gaziano scored a game-high 26 points for Brown in a losing effort. Erika Steeves came a rebound shy of a double-double with 15 points while Shayna Mehta had 17 points on 8-of-23 shooting.
Columbia scored at will over the opening four minutes. A jumper by Clemmons 16 seconds into the action sparked a run that saw the Lions hit 7 of their first 9 shots. Brown called for time after the Lions started 4-for-4 but it did little to slow them down as Kennedy, Durr and Markham all scored to push the lead to 14-3 at the 6:22 mark.
Columbia went scoreless over the next 4:02 as Brown's quick-strike offense found its rhythm. The Bears scored 14 straight points over a matter of 3:25 that included 3-pointers by Mehta, Gaziano and Steeves to take their first lead of the night, 17-14. Columbia broke up the scoreless drought with a free throw by Clemmons but hit just one field goal over the final 6:22 of the frame to go into the second quarter trailing by seven.
The Lions went down by as many as nine in the second quarter and started the game 0-for-9 from 3-point range before junior Stephanie Flynn hit back-to-back triples to quickly cut the deficit back to three. Another triple by Durr in the final minute of the half made it a two-point game at the break.
Columbia retook the lead, 49-44, courtesy of a 7-0 third-quarter run that saw Clemmons and Casey each knock down shots from long range. The Lions continued to buld the lead to seven, 57-50, until Gaziano and Mehta struck in succession to send the two teams to the fourth quarter separated by a bucket.
Brown outscored the Lions 13-4 over the opening 4:16 of the fourth quarter to retake a 68-61 lead. The Lions trailed by six entering the final five minutes but strung together six straight points in a matter of 1:14 and tied things up at 72 off a steal and basket in the backcourt by Kennedy. Hardy's heroics in the final minute sent the Lions back to New York City winners.
Columbia makes the trip to Penn and Princeton next weekend. The Lions take on the Quakers Friday at 5:30 p.m. before rounding out the back-to-back 24 hours later at Princeton.
POST-GAME NOTES
- Columbia won its second straight series meeting against Brown, also defeating the Bears last year in Providence, 90-74.
- Riley Casey recorded career-highs in rebounds (10) and assists (7).
- Sienna Durr registered her fifth 20-point game of the season and second in her last four outings.
- Lilian Kennedy scored a career-high 13 points and became the first Lion this season to have a perfect field goal percentage with at least five attempts.
- Madison Hardy's 11 points marked her ninth double-figure scoring game of the year, all of which have come off the bench.
- Columbia's two-point margin of victory was the closest in the series since March 5, 2004 when Brown earned a 67-66 win in Providence.
