NEW YORK — Columbia men's basketball earned an 86-36 wire-to-wire victory over Bard from Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium on Sunday night.

Columbia (1-2) held Bard (0-2) to just 26.7 percent shooting from the field and just 1-27 from beyond the arc (3.7 percent). The Lions shot 50.9 percent from the floor (29-57) and went 10-27 from three-point range. Columbia had another impressive performance at the free throw line, going 18-21 from the charity stripe on Sunday following a 22-24 mark Saturday night against UAlbany.

A well-balanced scoring attack saw every Lion with points on the night. Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa and Avery Brown led the Lions with 12 points each. All of Rubio De La Rosa's came in the first half and it was his ninth straight double-figure scoring performance dating back to last season. Sunday night was also the third straight game to start the season with four Lions scoring in double-figures.

Blair Thompson and Kenny Noland each had 11. Jaden Cooper and Noah Robledo led the Lions in rebounds with five each and Cooper, Zavian McLean, and Rubio De La Rosa each had four assists. Robbie Stankard tallied three steals.

Nicolo Romanelli made his first career start and chipped in nine points, including his first collegiate basket. Arop Arop also recorded the first points of his career and finished with four.

Columbia came out of the gates firing on all cylinders with a 10-0 run to start the contest. Back-to-back three-pointers from Brown and McLean extended the Lions lead to 23-10 at around the midway point of the half.

Columbia's defense held the Raptors to seven field goals in the first half. The Lions took a 41-16 lead into the locker room at the half. 

The Lions picked up right where they left off to begin the second half. Brown converted an and-one opportunity and then went coast-to-coast on the next possession for another basket to put the Lions up by 30. Two exclamation points came from Cooper and Stankard, who both finished off fast breaks with thunderous slams in the closing minutes.

Columbia is back in action on Wednesday at home against SUNY Delhi (1-1) at 7 p.m. The game can be followed via live stats or watched live on ESPN+. Click here or call 888-LIONS-11 to purchase tickets.

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