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MBB Huddle
Columbia University Athletics / Matt Rostkowski
81
Winner Columbia CU 1-0,0-0 Ivy League
78
Loyola Maryland Loyola 0-1,0-0 Patriot
Winner
Columbia CU
1-0,0-0 Ivy League
81
Final
78
Loyola Maryland Loyola
0-1,0-0 Patriot
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Columbia CU 35 46 81
Loyola Maryland Loyola 41 37 78

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Basketball Pulls Off Comeback at Loyola (Md.) for 81-78 Win on Opening Night

Lions overcome 12-point deficit in final seven minutes

BALTIMORE, Md. — Columbia men's basketball started off the 2024-25 season with a thrilling 81-78 comeback victory at Loyola Maryland at Reitz Arena on Monday evening.

The victory was Columbia's first season-opening win since 2016. The last time the Lions overcame a 12-point deficit to win was Nov. 17, 2021 against Binghamton.

Columbia (1-0) took its first lead since the 12:33 mark of the first half with 51 seconds left in the game on a Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa lay-up. The Lions then pushed the lead to 80-76 after a Kenny Noland free throw for their largest advantage of the night with 25 ticks left.

Columbia chipped away at the margin and eventually broke through to tie the game on an Avery Brown second chance lay-in. Brown's bucket with 1:31 to go knotted it at 76-76. The Lions held on the rest of the way.

Rubio De La Rosa posted a game-high 24 points and pulled in eight rebounds. Noland poured in a career-high 19 points. Eight of Brown's nine points came in the second half.

Columbia was hot out of the break thanks to Rubio De La Rosa drilling his first three shots of the second half. The Lions cut it to 46-44 less than three minutes into the half.

The Lions hung tough later down the stretch. Mason Ritter dropped an and-one finish and converted on the free throw to make it 72-69 Greyhounds with 4:37 remaining.

In the first half, Loyola had a 30-19 lead with 6:19 left after the Greyhounds (0-1) broke off a 15-5 run forcing the Lions to use their first timeout of the night.

A Rubio De La Rosa three-pointer with under a minute until the break brought Columbia within six. Loyola led 41-35 at halftime on 45.5 percent shooting compared to Columbia's 33.3 percent mark.

The Lions play at Villanova on Wednesday. Tip-off from Finneran Pavilion is set for 7 p.m. and the game will air live on CBS Sports Network.

Postgame Notes:

- Columbia moves to 79-44 all-time in season openers
- Mason Ritter and Gianni Cobb each scored their first career points in their collegiate debuts on Monday
- Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa posted his fifth straight double-figure scoring game dating back to last season and his 11th career 20-point game on Monday

Follow The Lions
For the latest on Columbia men's basketball, follow @CULionsMBB on X, Instagram or on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
 
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