Sunday, December 31
Stockton, Calif.
5:00 p.m.
Columbia University
at
Pacific
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Lem Photography
Columbia Visits Pacific on New Year’s Eve
12/30/2023 2:13:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Lions ride six-game winning streak into final game of 2023
STOCKTON, Calif. – The Columbia women's basketball team (8-4) completes a week-long trip to Northern California with its first all-time meeting against Pacific (8-4). Tip-off on New Year's Eve Sunday is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT.
TICKETS
• Fans in the area can click here to purchase tickets or visit PacificTigers.com for ticket information.
GAME COVERAGE
• Sunday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Fans can access live stats courtesy of PacificTigers.com. Lions fans can also follow the team on social media (@CULionsWBB) for live updates.
WHAT TO KNOW:
OPENING TIPS
• Columbia is spending a week in Northern California. The team arrived Tuesday, December 26 to prepare for USF. After facing the Dons on Thursday, they'll head to Stockton on Friday to prepare for a New Year's Eve showdown against Pacific. Columbia flies back to New York on New Year's Day, Monday, January 1.
• The Lions are riding a season-long six-game winning streak. Over that span, Columbia is outscoring opponents by 19.3 points per game, shooting 45.4 percent from the field and outrebounding opponents by an average 10.5 per contest. The streak includes back-to-back wins against the Big East's Providence, 77-52, and Villanova, 77-75. Abbey Hsu is averaging 24.0 points per game during the winning streak.
• Wooden & Naismith Trophy Award Watch List selection Abbey Hsu averages an Ivy League-leading 22.3 points per game, which ranks No. 10 in the NCAA. She is also top 10 in the country in total field goals (101), No. 11 in total points (268) and top 30 in total threes (34) and 3-pointers per game (2.83).
• Columbia enters the contest leading the Ivy League in 11 NCAA-ranked statistics, which includes scoring offense (74.6), scoring margin (+9.6), field goal percentage (.437), 3-pointers made per game (8.2), assists (16.8), bench points per game (20.8) and assist/turnover ratio (1.04).
LAST TIME OUT
• The Lions earned their first road win of the season on Thursday, defeating San Francisco, 74-67. Hsu scored a season-high 31 points on 12-of-19 shooting and also came away with a career-high five steals. After leading the entire first half, Columbia trailed by 10 late in the third quarter before using a 9-0 run to get back within a point. They held the dons without a field goal over the final 4:45, outscoring them 8-1, to seal the win.
USF POSTGAME NOTES
• Hsu achieved season-highs in points (31), made field goals (12) and field goal percentage (.632) and steals (5).
• Hsu posted the fourth 30-point game of her career.
• Hsu's career-high five steals were the most by a Lions since Jaida Patrick had eight in a Second Round win over Old Dominion during the 2022 WNIT.
• Columbia rallied to win from a 10-point second half deficit for the first time since March 4, 2023, when it did so at home against Cornell, 69-64, in overtime. That win clinched Columbia's first Ivy League title.
• Columbia picked up its first win in series history against USF (previously 0-5).
• USF's 10 threes tied for the most by an opponent this season (Stony Brook).
• Abbey Hsu is currently No. 2 in scoring in Columbia basketball history (men's or women's) with 1,783 career points. She moved from fifth to second during her 31-point performance on Thursday at USF.
• Hsu is No. 14 on the Ivy League's all-time women's scoring list. She is 35 points behind Justine Gaziano (Brown, 2016-20) for a top-10 all-time spot.
• Hsu is currently No. 23 among active NCAA Div. I players in career points.
Columbia Basketball All-Time Scoring Leaders
(W) Camille Zimmerman (2014-18) - 1,973
(W) Abbey Hsu (2019-pres.) - 1,783
(M) Buck Jenkins (1989-93) - 1,767
(M) Jim McMillian (1967-70) - 1,758
(M) Maodo Lo (2012-16) - 1,756
IVY STAT LEADERS
• Abbey Hsu (22.3), is the Ivy League's leading scorer.
• Kitty Henderson (12.5) and Cecelia Collins (11.2) rank inside the Ivy's top 15 in scoring.
• Cecelia Collins (.480), Kitty Henderson (.471) and Abbey Hsu (.461) all rank top 10 in FG percentage.
• Hsu's 2.8 made threes per game lead the league.
• Hsu ranks No. 4 in the league in rebounding (7.2) and top 10 in total blocks (10).
• Kitty Henderson (4.3), Collins (3.3) and Fliss Henderson (2.6) all rank top 10 in assists per game.
• Kitty Henderson (2.1) is No. 3 in the Ivy League in steals. Hsu (1.8) is top 10.
• Hsu (34.8) and Henderson (32.8) are each top 10 in the Ivies in minutes.
NOTES ON NET RANKINGS
• Columbia is No. 71 in the NET rankings (Dec. 29) and is one of three Ivy League teams in the Top 100.
• Columbia's average opponent NET is 136, which ranks 60th-toughest in the NCAA.
• The Lions are an undefeated 6-0 vs. NET 101+. They are 2-4 vs. the NET top 100.
• Columbia ended the 2022-23 season No. 47 in the NET, its highest final ranking in program history.
• Columbia's peak in the NET last year was 23rd, which came on Wednesday, Dec. 14.
• The NET, which stands for the NCAA Evaluation Tool, replaced the RPI after the 2017-18 season and it is used as the primary sorting tool for selection and seeding for the NCAA tournament.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
• Pacific (8-4) is riding a three-game winning streak into Sunday, which includes a 72-61 home win over UC Santa Barbara, a 90-86 road win over Long Beach State and a 108-45 win over Cal Maritime of the NAIA. Columbia marks the second Ivy League opponent the Tigers will have faced this year. They fell to Yale, 66-59, in Stockton back on November 20.
• The Tigers like to get to the foul line, leading the WCC in free throws made per game (14.50) and attempts per game (18.83). they are also second in the conference in scoring (73.9), defensive rebounds (26.8) and assists per game (17.2).
• Five Tigers are averaging double figures scoring, led by Liz Smith's 15.1 points per game. Smith does a lot of work by getting to the foul line, where she is 63-of-72 (.875) on the year. The 5-9 guard ranks 11th in the country in free throws made and top 25 in free throw attempts. Elizabeth Elliott (14.7 PPG) is top 20 in the country in field goal percentage (.603). The 6-1 center also leads the team in rebounding (6.6).
FOLLOW THE LIONS
For the latest on the Columbia women's basketball, follow @CULionsWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, or on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
TICKETS
• Fans in the area can click here to purchase tickets or visit PacificTigers.com for ticket information.
GAME COVERAGE
• Sunday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Fans can access live stats courtesy of PacificTigers.com. Lions fans can also follow the team on social media (@CULionsWBB) for live updates.
WHAT TO KNOW:
OPENING TIPS
• Columbia is spending a week in Northern California. The team arrived Tuesday, December 26 to prepare for USF. After facing the Dons on Thursday, they'll head to Stockton on Friday to prepare for a New Year's Eve showdown against Pacific. Columbia flies back to New York on New Year's Day, Monday, January 1.
• The Lions are riding a season-long six-game winning streak. Over that span, Columbia is outscoring opponents by 19.3 points per game, shooting 45.4 percent from the field and outrebounding opponents by an average 10.5 per contest. The streak includes back-to-back wins against the Big East's Providence, 77-52, and Villanova, 77-75. Abbey Hsu is averaging 24.0 points per game during the winning streak.
• Wooden & Naismith Trophy Award Watch List selection Abbey Hsu averages an Ivy League-leading 22.3 points per game, which ranks No. 10 in the NCAA. She is also top 10 in the country in total field goals (101), No. 11 in total points (268) and top 30 in total threes (34) and 3-pointers per game (2.83).
• Columbia enters the contest leading the Ivy League in 11 NCAA-ranked statistics, which includes scoring offense (74.6), scoring margin (+9.6), field goal percentage (.437), 3-pointers made per game (8.2), assists (16.8), bench points per game (20.8) and assist/turnover ratio (1.04).
LAST TIME OUT
• The Lions earned their first road win of the season on Thursday, defeating San Francisco, 74-67. Hsu scored a season-high 31 points on 12-of-19 shooting and also came away with a career-high five steals. After leading the entire first half, Columbia trailed by 10 late in the third quarter before using a 9-0 run to get back within a point. They held the dons without a field goal over the final 4:45, outscoring them 8-1, to seal the win.
USF POSTGAME NOTES
• Hsu achieved season-highs in points (31), made field goals (12) and field goal percentage (.632) and steals (5).
• Hsu posted the fourth 30-point game of her career.
• Hsu's career-high five steals were the most by a Lions since Jaida Patrick had eight in a Second Round win over Old Dominion during the 2022 WNIT.
• Columbia rallied to win from a 10-point second half deficit for the first time since March 4, 2023, when it did so at home against Cornell, 69-64, in overtime. That win clinched Columbia's first Ivy League title.
• Columbia picked up its first win in series history against USF (previously 0-5).
• USF's 10 threes tied for the most by an opponent this season (Stony Brook).
CHASING DOWN THE ALL-TIME GREATSAbbey doing Abbey things. https://t.co/agPcpJ6Pm2
— Arielle (Ari) Chambers (@ariivory) December 29, 2023
• Abbey Hsu is currently No. 2 in scoring in Columbia basketball history (men's or women's) with 1,783 career points. She moved from fifth to second during her 31-point performance on Thursday at USF.
• Hsu is No. 14 on the Ivy League's all-time women's scoring list. She is 35 points behind Justine Gaziano (Brown, 2016-20) for a top-10 all-time spot.
• Hsu is currently No. 23 among active NCAA Div. I players in career points.
Columbia Basketball All-Time Scoring Leaders
(W) Camille Zimmerman (2014-18) - 1,973
(W) Abbey Hsu (2019-pres.) - 1,783
(M) Buck Jenkins (1989-93) - 1,767
(M) Jim McMillian (1967-70) - 1,758
(M) Maodo Lo (2012-16) - 1,756
IVY STAT LEADERS
• Abbey Hsu (22.3), is the Ivy League's leading scorer.
• Kitty Henderson (12.5) and Cecelia Collins (11.2) rank inside the Ivy's top 15 in scoring.
• Cecelia Collins (.480), Kitty Henderson (.471) and Abbey Hsu (.461) all rank top 10 in FG percentage.
• Hsu's 2.8 made threes per game lead the league.
• Hsu ranks No. 4 in the league in rebounding (7.2) and top 10 in total blocks (10).
• Kitty Henderson (4.3), Collins (3.3) and Fliss Henderson (2.6) all rank top 10 in assists per game.
• Kitty Henderson (2.1) is No. 3 in the Ivy League in steals. Hsu (1.8) is top 10.
• Hsu (34.8) and Henderson (32.8) are each top 10 in the Ivies in minutes.
NOTES ON NET RANKINGS
• Columbia is No. 71 in the NET rankings (Dec. 29) and is one of three Ivy League teams in the Top 100.
• Columbia's average opponent NET is 136, which ranks 60th-toughest in the NCAA.
• The Lions are an undefeated 6-0 vs. NET 101+. They are 2-4 vs. the NET top 100.
• Columbia ended the 2022-23 season No. 47 in the NET, its highest final ranking in program history.
• Columbia's peak in the NET last year was 23rd, which came on Wednesday, Dec. 14.
• The NET, which stands for the NCAA Evaluation Tool, replaced the RPI after the 2017-18 season and it is used as the primary sorting tool for selection and seeding for the NCAA tournament.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
• Pacific (8-4) is riding a three-game winning streak into Sunday, which includes a 72-61 home win over UC Santa Barbara, a 90-86 road win over Long Beach State and a 108-45 win over Cal Maritime of the NAIA. Columbia marks the second Ivy League opponent the Tigers will have faced this year. They fell to Yale, 66-59, in Stockton back on November 20.
• The Tigers like to get to the foul line, leading the WCC in free throws made per game (14.50) and attempts per game (18.83). they are also second in the conference in scoring (73.9), defensive rebounds (26.8) and assists per game (17.2).
• Five Tigers are averaging double figures scoring, led by Liz Smith's 15.1 points per game. Smith does a lot of work by getting to the foul line, where she is 63-of-72 (.875) on the year. The 5-9 guard ranks 11th in the country in free throws made and top 25 in free throw attempts. Elizabeth Elliott (14.7 PPG) is top 20 in the country in field goal percentage (.603). The 6-1 center also leads the team in rebounding (6.6).
FOLLOW THE LIONS
For the latest on the Columbia women's basketball, follow @CULionsWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, or on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
Players Mentioned
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