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Nov. 06, 2023; Providence, Rhode Island, USA; during a nonconference matchup between Columbia and Providence College at . Photo by Brian Foley for Foley Photography.
Brian Foley for Foley Photograph
59
Columbia CU 0-1,0-0 Ivy League
78
Winner Providence PROV 1-0,0-0 Big East
Columbia CU
0-1,0-0 Ivy League
59
Final
78
Providence PROV
1-0,0-0 Big East
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Columbia CU 27 32 59
Providence PROV 42 36 78

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Basketball Drops Season Opener at Providence

Thompson, Brown, De La Rosa, and McLean crack double-figures for the Lions

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Columbia men's basketball fell to Providence, 78-59, on Monday night at Amica Mutual Pavilion.

The Lions (0-1) were led by Blair Thompson's 15 points. Avery Brown added 11 points, while Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa scored all 10 of his points in the first half. Zavian McLean poured in 10 points on 5-of-10 shooting.

Columbia shot just 29.6 percent from the field (21-71). The Lions crashed the glass hard offensively on opening night, out-rebounding Providence, 15-9, on the offensive boards. Both teams finished under 30 percent from behind the arc.

Following Providence's first basket, De La Rosa scored Columbia's first five to give the Lions an early 5-2 lead just two minutes into the game. It would be the only lead of the night for the Lions. De La Rosa had eight of Columbia's first 10 points.

In less than a two-minute span midway through the first half, McLean laid in three baskets for his first six points of the season as the Lions trailed 23-19 at the under-eight media timeout.

The Friars rattled off a 15-4 run over the last 5:09 in the half to take a 42-27 lead into the break. De La Rosa was tied for a game-high 10 points at the half with Providence's Devin Carter and Ticket Gaines.
 

Providence opened up a 51-29 lead early into the second half with 15:48 to go. Trailing 62-37 later in the half, Columbia went on a quick 6-0 spurt in the span of a minute thanks to a lay-up from Brown and two easy lay-ins from Kenny Noland. The run brought the margin back to under 20 points and forced Providence to call its first timeout of the night. 

First-year guard Nicolo Romanelli saw seven minutes of action in his college debut and recorded a rebound. Brown, Thompson, and De La Rosa each had a team-high six rebounds. Josh Odunowo tallied two steals and two blocks.

The Columbia defense held Preseason First Team ALL-BIG EAST forward Bryce Hopkins to 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Carter (13 points) and Gaines (12 points) rounded out Providence's top scorers.

Up Next

Columbia hosts UAlbany at 7 p.m. on SNY in its home opener this Saturday at Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium. The Lions are right back at home a day later on Sunday against Bard at 6 p.m.

Tickets on Sale

Single-game tickets for the 2023-24 Columbia men's basketball season are now on sale. Click here or call 888-LIONS-11 to purchase tickets. 

Follow The Lions
For the latest on Columbia men's basketball, follow @CULionsMBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, or on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
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