PRINCETON, N.J. — The Columbia men's basketball team fell to Princeton, 81-58, Friday night in Jadwin Gymnasium. Mike Smith led all scorers with 27 points and added seven boards and four assists in 39 minutes of action.
 
Smith is now 31 points shy of setting the Lions' single-season scoring record with one game to go. The mark of 694 points was set by Chet Forte in the 1956-57 season.
 
Randy Brumant added nine points, seven rebounds and a pair of blocks for Columbia (6-23, 1-12).
 
Columbia started the game just 1-of-14 from the floor as Princeton raced out to a 26-8 advantage just after the midway point of the first half. The Lions trimmed the deficit to 32-21 after Jack Forrest found Randy Brumant for a hoop and harm with 4:19 left in the period.
 
However, the Tigers finished the half on a 10-0 run to take a 21-point cushion into the intermission.
 
Columbia began the second half on a 13-2 run to start the second half to pull within 46-32, highlighted by a Brumant chase-down block and transition 3-pointer from Smith.
 
On the next Princeton (14-12, 9-4) possession Ryan Langborg drained a triple to restore order with 14:16 on the clock and held off several Lions' mini-rallies to preserve the win.
 
The Tigers had five players score in double-figures, led by 12 from Jaelin Llewellyn. Princeton shot 50 percent from the floor and was 15-of-36 (41.7 percent) from beyond the arc.
 
The Lions concludes the 2019-20 season Saturday, March 7, at Penn. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.

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