NEW YORK - The Columbia men's basketball program will be participating in the second annual "This Game is No Secret" event, created by College Insider's ERACISM committee. The Lions will join teams across the country, honoring the legacy of Coach John McLendon by wearing t-shirts with those words five words -- THIS GAME IS NO SECRET during warmups for their games against Penn and Princeton on February 4-5. 

In 1944, McLendon's team played a "Secret Game," at Duke University and used his revolutionary fast break style to overwhelm the Blue Devils in an 88-44 victory.

A legend in the profession, McLendon became the first African American coach to win an integrated national championship. His team went on to win the NAIA Division I Men's Tournament in 1957, 1958 and 1959, making him the first coach in history to win three consecutive NAIA championships. He received full enshrinement in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.

Head coach Jim Engles serves on the ERACISM committee, which is a social inclusion movement committed to bringing forth change through education, awareness, and action with current and former college basketball coaches leading the way. America is a socially diverse nation that continues to make progress against racism through education and creating awareness through enhanced dialogue. ERACISM is committed to bringing forth change through education, awareness, and action because we can no longer just sit on the sidelines.