Box Score Princeton, N.J.- Columbia men's basketball (6-18, 1-8) was defeated by Princeton 16-6 (7-2) on Saturday at Jadwin Gymnasium, 88-66.
Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa dropped 12 points and collected a game-high 12 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. De La Rosa's double-figure points came a day after snapping his five-game streak of such games at Penn. He is the only Lion to post a double-double in 2022-23.
Avery Brown led Columbia's scoring (13 points) and
Zavian McLean (12 points) also posted double-figures for the second-straight game.
Kenny Noland rounded out the double-figure scorers for Columbia, adding 11.
Robbie Stankard contributed with four rebounds, a block, and a career-high three steals.
Princeton led for almost all 40 minutes of play on Saturday. Tosan Evbuomwan, Ryan Langborg, and Keeshawn Kellman all notched double-figures scoring in the opening half for the Tigers. Evbuomwan finished with a game-high 19. The Tigers ended with five scorers in double-figures.
After being down 22 at the break, the Lions held the margin in the second half, tying the final frame 41-41. This was mainly due to Columbia's best run of the game occurring in the late stages of the first half into early on in the second. McLean's lay-up with 17:44 to go capped an 8-0 run and brought the score to 47-30.
The Lions committed 14 fouls in the opening half, which sent Princeton to the line to convert on 10-of-14 free throws in the first period. Columbia fouled 26 times in the game while Princeton committed 16 fouls.
Columbia struggled from behind the arc on Saturday, converting on just 5-of-19 from three-point range (26.3 percent). However in the second half, the Lions shot 46.9 percent on 15-of-32 overall from the floor. All five three-pointers came in the final 20 minutes of play for Columbia.
Princeton opened up as much as a 30-point lead when it was 75-45 with 8:01 left to play. With the win over Columbia, the Tigers sit all alone in first place in front of Yale in the Ivy League standings.
The Lions wrap up its season-long five-game road trip next Saturday in New Haven, Conn. at Yale. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. from John J. Lee Amphitheater on ESPN+ as Columbia looks to snap an eight-game losing streak.
