Men’s Basketball Faces Strong Test at No. 4 UConn Monday Night

Monday, November 10

Storrs, Conn.

6:30 P.M.

Columbia University

UConn

Tickets

Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Matt Rostkowski

Men’s Basketball Faces Strong Test at No. 4 UConn Monday Night

11/9/2025 11:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Columbia Game Notes UConn Game Notes

The Lions are coming off a wire-to-wire season-opening win at New Haven

NEW YORK — Columbia men's basketball closes out a two-game Connecticut swing to start the season when it faces No. 4 UConn on Monday at 6:30 p.m. inside Gampel Pavilion.

Monday's matchup between the Lions (1-0) and Huskies (2-0) can be followed via live stats or watched live on FS1. Dave Sims (play-by-play) and Donny Marshall (analyst) will have the call.

News/Notes

Opening Tip-Off

Monday's meeting with the Huskies marks Columbia's first matchup against a nationally ranked team since 2019 (at No. 9 Virginia) and 10th contest in program history against a top-five team.

Columbia has six wins all-time over ranked opponents.

After Friday's 71-53 win at New Haven, Columbia is now 80-44 all-time in season openers and has won two straight campaign debuts.

Kevin Hovde earned his first career victory in his head coaching debut on Friday.

@CoachKevinHovde pic.twitter.com/tDLzYuMIef
— Columbia Men's Basketball (@CULionsMBB) November 7, 2025

Last Time Out

The Lions started the 2025-26 season with a dominant, wire-to-wire 71-53 road win against New Haven at The Hazell Center on Friday afternoon. Columbia held a sturdy 42-18 halftime advantage and led by as much as 28 early in the second half.

A well-balanced offensive attack led the Lions, as Kenny Noland, Miles Franklin, and Avery Brown poured in double-figures. Noland had a team-high 14 points, while Franklin dropped 13, and Brown had 10. Zine Eddine Bedri and Blair Thompson led the team with six rebounds each. Columbia shot 55.1 percent from the floor (27-49) and 50 percent (8-16) from three-point range.

How Many Miles Can He Go?

First-year Miles Franklin shined in his collegiate debut in Friday's season opener. The Vienna, Virginia native came off the bench and in 18 minutes of action tallied 13 points on 5-5 shooting from the floor. Franklin knocked down two three-pointers and recorded three rebounds, two blocks, and a steal.

BLOCK PARTY! @Miles_F25

📊 https://t.co/GiLXnCrL5F
📺 https://t.co/8QKs1amqj9 #RoarLionRoar🦁 // #OnlyHere🗽 pic.twitter.com/erYwaz9nwi
— Columbia Men's Basketball (@CULionsMBB) November 7, 2025

Recent Statement Wins

Columbia has gone on the road each of the last two seasons and knocked off a prominent opponent. On Nov. 18, 2023, the Lions took down Temple in the teams' first-ever meeting with a 78-73 victory. Last season on Nov. 6, Columbia upset Villanova, 90-80. It was the Lions' first win over a Big East team since they defeated the Wildcats in 2012.

A New Era

Kevin Hovde became the 24th head coach in Columbia men's basketball history on March 24, 2025. The Kennett Square, Pennsylvania native returns to the Lions after helping the Florida Gators win a National Championship in 2025 as an assistant coach. Hovde recently spent three years in Gainesville and worked alongside former Columbia assistant and Florida head coach, Todd Golden, for nine seasons. Hovde's other coaching stops include San Francisco and Richmond. Hovde has been a part of nine NCAA Tournament victories (two as a student-athlete at Richmond, one as an assistant at Richmond, and six as an assistant at Florida).

Seniors Lead The Way

Columbia's foursome of seniors (Avery Brown, Kenny Noland, Blair Thompson, and Zine Eddine Bedri) all enter their fourth season in Morningside Heights. Brown, Noland, and Thompson have all seen significant action over the last three seasons, averaging at least 23.1 minutes per game over their careers. The trio has accounted for at least a third of the team's scoring over each of the last three seasons. Noland, Brown, and Bedri led the team in assists last season, while Thompson, Noland, and Bedri had the most rebounds in 2024-25.

Continuity Is King

Last season, Columbia ranked ninth in the country in continuity rating, per KenPom. The Lions continue that trend by bringing back double-digit returners for the third straight season. Columbia has the seventh-highest returning scoring percentage in the country (68.4), which is also the second-highest in the Ivy League behind Harvard. The Lions are also one of nine teams in the country that return 65% of their scoring, rebounding, and assists.

1,000 Points Watch

Columbia's Avery Brown (859 points) and Kenny Noland (759 points) each are closing in on the 1,000-point mark for their careers. The last Lion to reach 1,000 points was Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa on Feb. 23, 2024. Columbia has 30 all-time 1,000-point scorers.

Scouting UConn

The Huskies enter Monday's game at 2-0 with emphatic home victories over New Haven and UMass Lowell. UConn was picked to finish second in the Big East Preseason Coaches Poll and feature five preseason All-Big East honorees.

Series History - UConn

The Lions and Huskies meet for the 12th time on Monday night. Columbia took UConn to overtime before falling 77-73 in the most recent contest between the two teams on Nov. 29, 2017 in Storrs.

Up Next

The Lions host UMass Lowell on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Columbia's home opener. Columbia is 85-37 all-time in home openers and has won 10 of its last 17 openers in Levien Gymnasium. The game will also air live on ESPN+.

Tickets On Sale

Columbia men's basketball tickets are on sale now. Visit https://gocolumbialions.evenue.net/list/MB or call the ticket office at 888-LIONS-11 to purchase.

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