BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Columbia men's basketball continued its perfect start to the season with an 80-72 win over LIU on Wednesday night at Steinberg Wellness Center.
Columbia led for over 36 minutes for the third straight game and pulled out the victory despite letting LIU (2-3) get within a point with 28 seconds left. LIU went on a 7-0 run over a 30-second span in the final minute to make it 73-72.
Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa and Avery Brown each drained two free throws to put the game away from there. Rubio De La Rosa buried a three-pointer at the final buzzer to finish with a team-high 21 points and seal a Columbia 7-0 run. Brown chipped in 17 points and tallied five assists on the night.
The Sharks brought Columbia's lead within a point three separate times in the last 4:33. The Lions led by as many as 14 points in the second half. Columbia held an 11-point lead to the first media timeout of the second half. The Sharks climbed closer by cutting the deficit to six on a Tre'Shawn Sheppard basket with 10:59 to play. LIU got within two when it trailed 60-58 with 6:11 to go.
Columbia opened the first 4:12 of the game on a 15-5 run. LIU responded with 10 straight points out of the media timeout to tie it at 15-15.
The Lions then went in front later in the half to take a 33-24 lead into the under four media timeout. Rubio De La Rosa accounted for 11 of Columbia's first 24 points. Columbia went into the break with a 39-28 advantage.
Kenny Noland dropped 15 points and Blair Thompson added 12. Zine Eddine Bedri pulled down a game-high eight rebounds. Columbia was 21-23 from the free throw line.
Columbia returns home Saturday for a matchup with Stony Brook at 7 p.m. The game will air live on SNY and ESPN+. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
Postgame Notes:
- Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa posted his 10th straight double-figures scoring game dating back to last season and his 15th career 20-point game on Wednesday. He has scored at least 20 points in five of six games this season.
- Rubio De La Rosa (1,205 career points) passed Matt Shannon for 18th place on Columbia's all-time scoring list.
- Rubio De La Rosa and
Kenny Noland are the first Lions duo to record double-figures scoring in each of the first six games of a season since 2015-16. Grant Mullins and Alex Rosenberg each dropped 10 or more points in the first seven contests of that campaign.
- Columbia has led at the half in five of six games this season.
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