NEW YORK - The Columbia men's basketball team wraps up its home-and-home series with Cornell when the schools face off Saturday, January 25, at 4 p.m. The Lions' and Big Red's women's teams face off prior to the contest in Newman Arena.
 

OPENING TIP-OFF

• Columbia used a big first half to build a 19-point lead at the break and held off a pair of Cornell runs in the second to begin Ivy League play 1-0.

• The Lions were led by Jack Forrest, who established a career-high of 23 points and was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week Monday.

• Mike Smith ranks No. 12 in the NCAA, averaging 21.4 points per game, and has led the Lions in scoring in 13 of 15 games this season.

• The Lions will remain on the road for the first weekend of back-to-backs, heading to Yale (Jan. 31) and Brown (Feb. 1).

 

NEWS/NOTES

CORNELL'S STATUS
The Big Red are 3-2 in Newman Arena this season, compared to 0-11 on the road. Cornell's leading scorer Jimmy Boeheim (18.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG) returned last weekend after missing the previous two games due to injury. Terrance McBride is the team's second leading scorer, checking in at 10.5 points per game.

INSIDE THE SERIES
Columbia holds a 131-102 edge in the all-time series with Cornell. The Lions have won five of the last seven meetings between the teams in Ithaca, but the Big Red has won two straight Last year, the teams each held serve at home. It was the seventh time in the past nine seasons the Lions and Big Red have drawn a season split.

NEW COURT, WHO DIS?
Columbia announced that the center court in Levien Gymnasium will be dedicated in honor of Jonathan D. Schiller  '69CC '73LAW at halftime of the Lions' game against Yale on Saturday, Feb. 22. Schiller was a three-year letter winner and a member of the 1967-68 Ivy League men's basketball championship team. He went on to co-found Boies Schiller Flexner LLP and oversees the firm's pro-bono program. He was appointed as co-chair of the University Trustees in 2014 and served as the sole chair from 2015-18. In 2017, Schiller was named an inaugural Legend of Ivy League Basketball for achievements and contributions to the Ivy League.

BIBBS BLOSSOMING
Junior Tai Bibbs has scored in double-figures in three of the last four contests and is averaging 12.0 points and 4.0 rebounds during that stretch. Bibbs is also earning just over four attempts from the charity stripe per game, which has nearly doubled his total from Columbia's first 14 games of the year.

INSIDE COLUMBIA BASKETBALL PODCAST
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THE IVY LEAGUE ON ESPN+
All home Columbia games and most Ivy League road contests will air on ESPN+ as part of The Ivy League's new partnership with ESPN. ESPN+ is a new, subscription-based service that offers monthly ($4.99) and yearly ($49.99) plans. Click here to subscribe to ESPN+ and start your free trial! Click here for frequently asked questions about the Ivy League on ESPN.

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