WNIT Game Preview: Columbia vs. Holy Cross

Wednesday, March 16

New York, N.Y.

7:00 P.M.

Columbia University

Holy Cross

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Photo by: Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin

3/15/2022 4:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Tickets Watch (ESPN3)Live Stats International Stream Video Preview: Coach Griffith WNIT Bracket WNIT Tournament Central Updated Venue Policies Game Notes

Lions and Crusaders face off for the first time Wednesday night in the WNIT

NEW YORK – The Columbia women's basketball team (22-6, 12-2 Ivy) begins its run through the Women's National Invitational Tournament Wednesday night, when it hosts Patriot League regular season champion Holy Cross (20-10, 14-4 Patriot) in the first round. Tip-off from Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium is set for 7 p.m. ET

TICKET INFORMATION:
Tickets can be purchased ahead of time by visiting GoColumbiaLions.com/Tickets or calling 888-LIONS-11. Tickets can also be purchased on site at the ticket window located at the southeast corner of 120th & Broadway.

GAME COVERAGE:
Wednesday's game will be televised in the New York market on SportsNet New York (SNY). With a total distribution of nearly 12 million homes, SNY is available to viewers throughout New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Northeastern Pennsylvania for a regional reach of 8.0 million households. The live stream will be carried by ESPN3, which is available by visiting ESPN.com or through the ESPN app.

Live stats will be provided by GoColumbiaLions.com. Live updates will be posted to the women's basketball team's Twitter page (@CULionsWBB).

SPECTATOR POLICY:
Effective March 14, 2022, masking will no longer be required indoors or outdoors at Columbia University. Masking will become optional, and recommended in crowded settings.

All spectators in attendance, 5 years of age and older, must show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter all Columbia Athletics venues. Proof of full vaccination includes two doses of approved mRNA vaccines, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

For more information, please visit the Columbia Athletics venue policy page at GoColumbiaLions.com/VenuePolicies.

5 THINGS TO KNOW:
1. NOT DONE YET
• Columbia's historic 2021-22 season continues in the Women's National Invitational Tournament. The Lions earned the Ivy League's automatic qualifying spot into the tournament. This year's 64-team field is comprised of 30 automatic-qualifying spots, which go to the best available team in each conference. The other 34 teams are at-large selections, chosen after consideration of a mix of criteria by WNIT officials.

• The Lions are coming off a, 77-59, loss to top-seeded and nationally ranked Princeton (24-4, 14-0 Ivy) in the Ivy League Tournament Championship Game. They got there by defeating the No. 3 seed, Yale, 67-38, in the semifinals. Junior Jaida Patrick scored a game-high 23 points in the contest on a lights-out 11-of-13 (.846) shooting. Sophomore Abbey Hsu had 18 points and was later named to the All-Tournament Team.

2. A LOOK AT THE BRACKET
• Columbia's Round 1 matchup against Holy Cross will mark the first meeting between the two programs. Holy Cross earned the Patriot League's auto bid into the tournament by virtue of winning the regular season title. They were upset in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament, 50-49, by eighth-seeded Navy.

Wednesday night's winner between Columbia and Holy Cross will take on the winner of Old Dominion (23-9, 12-6 C-USA) and Towson (24-7, 14-4 CAA). That game between the Monarchs and Tigers is scheduled for Friday night at 7 p.m. on the campus of Towson.

Click here for a complete look at the 2022 WNIT Bracket,

3. HSU-TING THE THREE
• Abbey Hsu enters the game with 162 made 3-pointers in her career, which ranks second in Columbia women's basketball history. The career record is 166, which belongs to Melissa Shafer (2008-12).
            Career Record: Made 3-Pointers (Columbia History)
            1.         Melissa Shafer (2008-12) - 166
            2.         Abbey Hsu (2019-pres.) - 162
            3.         Emily Roller (1995-99) - 161
            4.         Alexa Giuliano (2014-17) - 146
            5.         Taylor Ward (2010-14) - 123

• Hsu broke Alexa Giuliano's single-season record for threes with her 74th of the season on Feb. 18 against Harvard. Hsu now has 97 threes entering the WNIT, which ties for second in Ivy League history. The record belongs to Katie Benzan, who sank 99 at Harvard during the 2017-18 season.
            Single-Season Record: Made 3-Pointers (Ivy League History)
            1.         Katie Benzan (Harvard) (99, 1991-92)
            2.         Courtney Banghart (Dartmouth) (97, 1998-99)
                        Abbey Hsu (Columbia) (97, 2021-22)
            4.         Courtney Banghart (Dartmouth) (91, 1999-00)
            5.         Sandi Bittler (Princeton) (89, 1989-90)

4. A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
• The 2021-22 season has seen Columbia set many firsts and numerous school records, beginning at the very start of the season when they started 5-0 in the first time. Columbia's other notable season accomplishments include:
- Defeating an ACC team on the road (Clemson, Nov. 13)
- Starting Ivy League play 7-0 (previous best was 2-0)
- Winning a program record eight consecutive games (Dec. 13 - Feb. 4)
- Winning the most Ivy League games in program history (12)
- Winning the most games overall in the program's Div. I era (21)
- Tying for the most overall wins in program history (1985-86)
- Defeating Penn for the first time since 2011
- Sweeping Penn for the first time since 2010
- Sweeping Cornell for the first time since 2010
- Sweeping Yale for the first time since 2011
- Playing in their first postseason game and winning their first postseason game in 36 years
- Advancing to their first Ivy League Tournament Championship Game

5. THE OPPONENT
• The Crusaders were stunned in the Patriot League quarterfinals when Navy's Jennifer Coleman caught an inbounds pass with 1.0 second left on the clock, turned and banked in a 3-pointer to defeat the top seed, 50-49, on March 7. Senior Avery LaBarbera double-doubled for the 18th time this season scoring a team-high 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in the defeat.

• LaBarbera was named the Patriot League Player of the Year at the end of the season. LaBarbera ranks fourth in the NCAA in defensive rebounds per game (8.7), 13th in double-doubles (18), and 18th in free throw percentage (87.9%). Standing 5-foot-6, LaBarbera is the top rebounder in the nation of any player under 5-foot-9.

• Head coach Maureen Magarity took home Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Crusaders to their 22nd 20-win season and a team record 14 conference victories. Junior guard Addisyn Cross was selected to the All-Defensive team.

• As a team, the Crusaders rank 27th in the NCAA in scoring defense (55.8), 38th in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.276), and 47th in field goal defense (.368).

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MORNINGSIDE HOOPS
The newly branded Morningside Hoops podcast is back for a fourth season. Formerly known as Inside Columbia Basketball, the podcast features weekly interviews with coaches and members of the men's and women's basketball programs. New episodes are available weekly on SoundCloud, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

To listen to this week's episode, click here.

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For the latest on the Columbia women's basketball, follow @CULionsWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, or on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.