NEW YORK — Columbia men's basketball kept its perfect start to the season intact with a 77-63 victory over Mercyhurst on Saturday afternoon inside Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium.
The Lions are 5-0 for the first time since 2005. Saturday's matchup was the first-ever between Columbia and newest Northeast Conference member Mercyhurst (3-2). For the second straight game, the Lions led for nearly 38 minutes.
"The one advantage we did have was our size so I thought our bigs did a good job," head coach Jim Engles said. "I thought they controlled the game in the second half."
Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa led all scorers with 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field and 5-of-9 shooting from three-point range. The senior guard has scored at least 19 points in all five games this season.
Kenny Noland contributed 12 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Blair Thompson added 10 points and a team-best seven boards. Columbia went 30-of-56 (.536) from the field and were 9-of-20 (.450) on three-pointers.
"When everyone can contribute I think our team is very healthy," Noland said. "Guys are happy, guys are hitting shots. I think it's good for us to gain momentum going forward."
Noland gave the Lions the boost they needed by scoring eight of the team's first 14 points. Rubio De La Rosa knocked down back-to-back threes with 11:18 left in the first to give the Lions their first sizable lead of the afternoon at 20-8. The triple also capped a 13-1 run for Columbia.
First-year guard Gerard O'Keefe recorded the first points of his collegiate career off a feed from Rubio De La Rosa with 7:25 until the break. Columbia held a 43-36 advantage at halftime.
Mercyhurst came within four points of tying the game with 13:45 to play before a 6-0 Lions run expanded a Columbia lead that remained until the final buzzer.
Columbia makes the short trip to LIU on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The game will air live on NEC Front Row.
Postgame Notes:
- Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa posted his ninth straight double-figure scoring game dating back to last season and his 14th career 20-point game on Saturday. He has scored at least 20 points in four of five games this season.
- Rubio De La Rosa (1,184 career points) is now in 19th place on Columbia's all-time scoring list, passing Walter Budko (1,163 points).
- Rubio De La Rosa is now in sole possession of 2nd place on Columbia's all-time three-pointers made list (194) after knocking down five on Saturday afternoon, passing Matt Shannon.
- Kenny Noland has scored in double-figures in all five games this season
- Columbia is 5-0 for the first time since 2005
- Columbia has won its first three home games in a season for the first time since 2019-20
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