Saturday, December 7
New York, N.Y.
2:00 P.M.
Columbia University
9-1,0-0Ivy League
98
vs
49
United States Merchant Marine Academy
4-2,0-0Skyline
1
2
F
Merchant Marine
23
26
49
Columbia
59
39
98
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Lem Photography
Men’s Basketball Cruises Past USMMA in Wire-to-Wire Victory on Saturday
12/7/2024 5:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Gerard O’Keefe posts career-high 25 points in the win; Lions bench contributes 73 points
NEW YORK — Columbia men's basketball returned to the win column on Saturday afternoon with a 98-49 victory against the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy inside Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium.
First-year Gerard O'Keefe posted a dominant 25 points on 9-13 shooting in 22 minutes. He was 4-7 from three-point range and converted on all three of his free throws. Blair Thompson added 11 points and six rebounds. Arop Arop had seven points and seven boards.
The Lions (9-1) out-rebounded USMMA, 50-33. Columbia had 13 scorers in the game and tallied 25 assists. On defense, the Lions swiped 12 steals.
Columbia raced out of the gates on a 9-0 run just 2:26 into the game. The Lions made 10 of their first 16 shots. Columbia held a 17-point lead ten minutes into the first half.
A 22-4 run later in the opening half over a six-minute span broke open a 49-16 lead with under four minutes until the break. Columbia led 59-23 at halftime with 15 first half points from O'Keefe.
Columbia continued to roll in the second half, out-scoring USMMA, 39-26. The Lions defense held the visitors to just 27 percent shooting on the day (17-63). Columbia recorded its seventh performance this season of shooting more than 50 percent from the floor.
The Lions host Sarah Lawrence on Monday at 7 p.m. before a 19-day break. Click here or call 888-LIONS-11 to purchase tickets.
Follow The Lions
For the latest on Columbia men's basketball, follow @CULionsMBB on X, Instagram or on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
First-year Gerard O'Keefe posted a dominant 25 points on 9-13 shooting in 22 minutes. He was 4-7 from three-point range and converted on all three of his free throws. Blair Thompson added 11 points and six rebounds. Arop Arop had seven points and seven boards.
The Lions (9-1) out-rebounded USMMA, 50-33. Columbia had 13 scorers in the game and tallied 25 assists. On defense, the Lions swiped 12 steals.
Columbia raced out of the gates on a 9-0 run just 2:26 into the game. The Lions made 10 of their first 16 shots. Columbia held a 17-point lead ten minutes into the first half.
A 22-4 run later in the opening half over a six-minute span broke open a 49-16 lead with under four minutes until the break. Columbia led 59-23 at halftime with 15 first half points from O'Keefe.
Columbia continued to roll in the second half, out-scoring USMMA, 39-26. The Lions defense held the visitors to just 27 percent shooting on the day (17-63). Columbia recorded its seventh performance this season of shooting more than 50 percent from the floor.
The Lions host Sarah Lawrence on Monday at 7 p.m. before a 19-day break. Click here or call 888-LIONS-11 to purchase tickets.
Follow The Lions
For the latest on Columbia men's basketball, follow @CULionsMBB on X, Instagram or on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
Team Stats
USMMA
CU
FG%
.270
.514
3FG%
.208
.389
FT%
.833
.909
RB
33
50
TO
15
9
STL
6
12
Game Leaders
Pts
25
FGM
9
3FGM
4
FTM
3
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballF
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