Tuesday, December 5
New York, N.Y.
7:00 P.M.
Columbia University
7-3,0-0Ivy League
83
vs
72
Lafayette
1-9,0-0Patriot
1
2
F
Lafayette
32
40
72
Columbia
38
45
83
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Josh Wang
Five Lions Score in Double Figures as Men’s Basketball Defeats Lafayette
12/5/2023 10:40:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Lions get back in the win column Tuesday night
NEW YORK — Columbia men's basketball ended the game on an 8-0 run to pull away from Lafayette, 83-72, on Tuesday night from Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium.
The Lions (7-3) had five players score in double-figures for the first time since Nov. 13, 2019 against Binghamton. Avery Brown and Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa led the team with 15 points each. Rubio De La Rosa has now recorded double-figures in nine of ten games this season while Brown has notched double-figures in eight of ten games. Josh Odunowo scored 12 points while Jaden Cooper contributed 10 points and set a new career-high seven rebounds.
"You see the work these guys put in day in and day out over the last couple of years, and it is very gratifying to see the talent of these players start to show," head coach Jim Engles said postgame. "I'm really happy and very satisfied with where things are at right now, and I am hoping to keep things going."
Tuesday night's win was a bounce-back performance for the Lions, who had their six-game winning streak snapped at New Hampshire on Sunday afternoon. After starting the season 0-2, Columbia has won seven of its last eight games.
Columbia finished the night shooting 53.8 percent to Lafayette's 42.6 percent. The Lions also tallied 20 assists. Eric Sondberg led the Leopards (1-9) with a game-high 28 points.
Columbia opened with a quick 7-2 run in the first two minutes of the game. Odunowo struck first, sinking a two-point jump shot off an assist from Brown. Lafayette took its first lead with 16:12 left in the first half, holding a 12-11 lead into the first media timeout.
The two teams continued to play with no fouls committed over the first 9:36. The Lions and Leopards traded buckets until Lafayette went on an 8-2 run, which was capped off by a crafty up-and-under layup by Kenny Noland, giving the Lions a 28-21 lead with eight minutes to spare in the half.
The Lions found their offensive rhythm early on and finished the half on 16-for-31 shooting. Cooper's seven points coming off the bench played a role in Columbia holding the lead for all but 58 seconds of the half, and the Lions headed back to the locker room with a 38-32 lead.
The largest lead of the game for the Lions came just under six and a half minutes into the second half off a Noland three delivered to him by Cooper, bringing the score to 55-42.
"All five guys on the court had double digits tonight, and made it really hard for the Lafayette defense to adjust," Cooper said postgame. "Everyone had it going, and I'm proud of my guys who came out and hooped tonight."
With 1:33 to go, Lafayette's Sondberg sank two free throws to bring Columbia's lead down to three points. Brown then converted on a three-point play after being fouled on a close-range jumper to bring the lead to six points. The Lions then secured a crucial defensive stop and Cooper grabbed his seventh rebound of the night with 50.6 seconds left before Columbia took a timeout.
After being fouled three times, Rubio De La Rosa headed to the free throw line and sank both shots to bring the lead to eight. Thompson then converted on one of his two shots before Brown got another steal and dribbled the clock out.
Columbia heads to FDU next Monday night at 7 p.m. for its final game before a 19-day break.
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.
The Lions (7-3) had five players score in double-figures for the first time since Nov. 13, 2019 against Binghamton. Avery Brown and Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa led the team with 15 points each. Rubio De La Rosa has now recorded double-figures in nine of ten games this season while Brown has notched double-figures in eight of ten games. Josh Odunowo scored 12 points while Jaden Cooper contributed 10 points and set a new career-high seven rebounds.
"You see the work these guys put in day in and day out over the last couple of years, and it is very gratifying to see the talent of these players start to show," head coach Jim Engles said postgame. "I'm really happy and very satisfied with where things are at right now, and I am hoping to keep things going."
Tuesday night's win was a bounce-back performance for the Lions, who had their six-game winning streak snapped at New Hampshire on Sunday afternoon. After starting the season 0-2, Columbia has won seven of its last eight games.
Columbia finished the night shooting 53.8 percent to Lafayette's 42.6 percent. The Lions also tallied 20 assists. Eric Sondberg led the Leopards (1-9) with a game-high 28 points.
Columbia opened with a quick 7-2 run in the first two minutes of the game. Odunowo struck first, sinking a two-point jump shot off an assist from Brown. Lafayette took its first lead with 16:12 left in the first half, holding a 12-11 lead into the first media timeout.
The two teams continued to play with no fouls committed over the first 9:36. The Lions and Leopards traded buckets until Lafayette went on an 8-2 run, which was capped off by a crafty up-and-under layup by Kenny Noland, giving the Lions a 28-21 lead with eight minutes to spare in the half.
The Lions found their offensive rhythm early on and finished the half on 16-for-31 shooting. Cooper's seven points coming off the bench played a role in Columbia holding the lead for all but 58 seconds of the half, and the Lions headed back to the locker room with a 38-32 lead.
The largest lead of the game for the Lions came just under six and a half minutes into the second half off a Noland three delivered to him by Cooper, bringing the score to 55-42.
"All five guys on the court had double digits tonight, and made it really hard for the Lafayette defense to adjust," Cooper said postgame. "Everyone had it going, and I'm proud of my guys who came out and hooped tonight."
With 1:33 to go, Lafayette's Sondberg sank two free throws to bring Columbia's lead down to three points. Brown then converted on a three-point play after being fouled on a close-range jumper to bring the lead to six points. The Lions then secured a crucial defensive stop and Cooper grabbed his seventh rebound of the night with 50.6 seconds left before Columbia took a timeout.
After being fouled three times, Rubio De La Rosa headed to the free throw line and sank both shots to bring the lead to eight. Thompson then converted on one of his two shots before Brown got another steal and dribbled the clock out.
Columbia heads to FDU next Monday night at 7 p.m. for its final game before a 19-day break.
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.
Team Stats
Laf
CU
FG%
.426
.533
3FG%
.333
.438
FT%
.769
.857
RB
32
34
TO
11
9
STL
3
6
Game Leaders
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
15
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
6
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
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