Sunday, December 28
Jacksonville, Fla.
2:00 P.M.
Columbia University
at
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North Florida
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics/Geoffrey Bolte
Men’s Basketball Wraps Up Road Swing at North Florida on Sunday
12/26/2025 12:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Lions and Ospreys will meet for the first time
NEW YORK — Columbia men's basketball closes out a three-game road trip on Sunday at North Florida. Tip-off from UNF Arena is set for 2 p.m.
Sunday's matchup between the Lions (9-3) and Ospreys (2-10) can be followed via live stats or watched live on ESPN+. Mia O'Brien (play-by-play), Jacob Ridenhour (analyst), and Skylar Catherwood (sideline) will have the call.
News/Notes
Opening Tip-Off
Columbia has the sixth-best rebounding margin in the country and is inside the top 15 nationally in rebounds per game and defensive rebounds per game.
The Lions play their first game in Florida since Dec. 28, 2016 (at Miami). Columbia has not played a current Atlantic Sun Conference opponent since 1989 at Austin Peay.
Kevin Hovde is the first Columbia head coach in his debut season to win nine of his first 12 games since Lou Rossini started 20-0 in his first season in Morningside Heights in 1950–51.
Last Time Out
Columbia fought hard but fell 74-56 at California on Sunday afternoon at Haas Pavilion in the teams' first matchup since 2003.
Connor Igoe's career-best 16 points paced a spread out Columbia offense. The first-year shot 7-of-11 from the floor and grabbed four rebounds. Igoe was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week on Monday.
Mason Ritter added 10 points, while Gerard O'Keefe had nine. Kenny Noland recorded team-highs with seven rebounds and four assists. Columbia shot 41.8 percent on the day, but went 16-28 from the floor in the second half (57.1 percent).
Offensive Fireworks
On Nov. 26, the Lions scored 106 points at Fairfield, marking their first 100-point game against a Division I opponent since Nov. 15, 2010 (108 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore) and their first on the road since Dec. 8, 2009, at Wagner. Columbia shot an impressive 62.5 percent from the field against the Stags—their first road game shooting over 60 percent since Feb. 27, 2016, at Penn. The Lions are clicking from deep, ranking 56th nationally with a 37.1 percent three-point clip.
Columbia averaged 93.8 points over a four-game span from Nov. 21 to Nov. 29. Columbia last averaged 90-plus points over a four-game span during the 1976-77 season.
In the Nov. 29 win over Sarah Lawrence, six Lions reached double-figures in scoring, marking the first time the program had that many players notch 10 or more points in a game since Dec. 4, 2017, vs. Quinnipiac.
Six of Columbia's wins have come by 15 or more points.
Breaking The Glass
In addition to having the sixth-best rebounding margin (13.1) in the country, the Lions lead Ivy League teams in combined rebounds per game (43.3), defensive rebounds per game (30.0), and offensive rebounds per game (13.3). Columbia has out-rebounded its opponent in all nine wins this season.
The Lions have out-rebounded an opponent by more than 20 boards four times this season (plus-23 vs. UMass Lowell on Nov. 13, plus-25 at Lehigh on Nov. 21, plus-38 vs. Sarah Lawrence on Nov. 29, and plus-20 vs. UAlbany on Dec. 6). The plus-25 margin against the Mountain Hawks is Columbia's largest against a Division I opponent since Nov. 15, 2010, vs. Maryland Eastern Shore, when the Lions were 44-21 on the boards against the Hawks. Columbia notched 49 rebounds at Stony Brook on Dec. 9. Previously, the pair of 48-rebound performances against UMass Lowell and Lehigh were the most boards in a game for Columbia against a Division I foe since Dec. 12, 2022 (at Lafayette). The last time Columbia recorded multiple 40-rebound games in a season against Division I opponents came in 2017-18.
Columbia also had 23 offensive rebounds on Nov. 13, marking the first time the Lions secured over 20 offensive boards since Jan. 16, 2023, vs. Cornell.
Noticing Noland
Senior guard Kenny Noland is off to a strong offensive start to 2025-26, averaging a team-best 16.7 points per game. Noland leads the Lions in assists, field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage, and minutes per game. Noland's 200 points this season rank fifth among Ivy League scorers and his 32 three-pointers are tied for the third-most in the league.
The Apex, N.C. native has trumped his career-high in points twice already this year and has recorded five 20-point performances. Noland went off for a career-best 27 points in a win at Lehigh on Nov. 21, where he went 11-18 from the field.
At 36-36 from the charity stripe, Noland is the lone qualified player in the country with a perfect mark from the line.
Last week, Noland was named Ivy League Player of the Week and was added to the Lou Henson Award Early Season Watch List, which recognizes the top mid-major players in Division I college basketball.
How Many Miles Can He Go?
First-year guard Miles Franklin shined in his collegiate debut in the Nov. 7 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.
Franklin followed up on Nov. 10 at No. 3 UConn with a 10-point showing (eight in the second half) on 5-8 shooting. His performance included a posterizing dunk over Silas Demary Jr. with 8:42 remaining in the game.
Franklin poured in a career-best 18 points on 6-10 shooting on Nov. 26 at Fairfield and has scored double-figures in half of this season's games. His five steals on Nov. 23 vs. Longwood are the most by a Lion since Avery Brown had five on Nov. 15, 2023, against SUNY Delhi.
Franklin has been named Ivy League Rookie of the Week twice this season (Nov. 10 and Dec. 8).
1,000 Points Watch
Columbia's Kenny Noland (945 points) and Avery Brown (862 points) are each 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.
Series History - North Florida
Columbia meets North Florida for the first time ever on Sunday.
Up Next
Columbia returns home for its final non-conference game on Wednesday. Tip-off on New Year's Eve from Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium is set for 2 p.m. Click here to purchase tickets.
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.
Sunday's matchup between the Lions (9-3) and Ospreys (2-10) can be followed via live stats or watched live on ESPN+. Mia O'Brien (play-by-play), Jacob Ridenhour (analyst), and Skylar Catherwood (sideline) will have the call.
News/Notes
Opening Tip-Off
Columbia has the sixth-best rebounding margin in the country and is inside the top 15 nationally in rebounds per game and defensive rebounds per game.
The Lions play their first game in Florida since Dec. 28, 2016 (at Miami). Columbia has not played a current Atlantic Sun Conference opponent since 1989 at Austin Peay.
Kevin Hovde is the first Columbia head coach in his debut season to win nine of his first 12 games since Lou Rossini started 20-0 in his first season in Morningside Heights in 1950–51.
Last Time Out
Columbia fought hard but fell 74-56 at California on Sunday afternoon at Haas Pavilion in the teams' first matchup since 2003.
Connor Igoe's career-best 16 points paced a spread out Columbia offense. The first-year shot 7-of-11 from the floor and grabbed four rebounds. Igoe was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week on Monday.
Mason Ritter added 10 points, while Gerard O'Keefe had nine. Kenny Noland recorded team-highs with seven rebounds and four assists. Columbia shot 41.8 percent on the day, but went 16-28 from the floor in the second half (57.1 percent).
Offensive Fireworks
On Nov. 26, the Lions scored 106 points at Fairfield, marking their first 100-point game against a Division I opponent since Nov. 15, 2010 (108 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore) and their first on the road since Dec. 8, 2009, at Wagner. Columbia shot an impressive 62.5 percent from the field against the Stags—their first road game shooting over 60 percent since Feb. 27, 2016, at Penn. The Lions are clicking from deep, ranking 56th nationally with a 37.1 percent three-point clip.
Columbia averaged 93.8 points over a four-game span from Nov. 21 to Nov. 29. Columbia last averaged 90-plus points over a four-game span during the 1976-77 season.
In the Nov. 29 win over Sarah Lawrence, six Lions reached double-figures in scoring, marking the first time the program had that many players notch 10 or more points in a game since Dec. 4, 2017, vs. Quinnipiac.
Six of Columbia's wins have come by 15 or more points.
Breaking The Glass
In addition to having the sixth-best rebounding margin (13.1) in the country, the Lions lead Ivy League teams in combined rebounds per game (43.3), defensive rebounds per game (30.0), and offensive rebounds per game (13.3). Columbia has out-rebounded its opponent in all nine wins this season.
The Lions have out-rebounded an opponent by more than 20 boards four times this season (plus-23 vs. UMass Lowell on Nov. 13, plus-25 at Lehigh on Nov. 21, plus-38 vs. Sarah Lawrence on Nov. 29, and plus-20 vs. UAlbany on Dec. 6). The plus-25 margin against the Mountain Hawks is Columbia's largest against a Division I opponent since Nov. 15, 2010, vs. Maryland Eastern Shore, when the Lions were 44-21 on the boards against the Hawks. Columbia notched 49 rebounds at Stony Brook on Dec. 9. Previously, the pair of 48-rebound performances against UMass Lowell and Lehigh were the most boards in a game for Columbia against a Division I foe since Dec. 12, 2022 (at Lafayette). The last time Columbia recorded multiple 40-rebound games in a season against Division I opponents came in 2017-18.
Columbia also had 23 offensive rebounds on Nov. 13, marking the first time the Lions secured over 20 offensive boards since Jan. 16, 2023, vs. Cornell.
Noticing Noland
Senior guard Kenny Noland is off to a strong offensive start to 2025-26, averaging a team-best 16.7 points per game. Noland leads the Lions in assists, field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage, and minutes per game. Noland's 200 points this season rank fifth among Ivy League scorers and his 32 three-pointers are tied for the third-most in the league.
The Apex, N.C. native has trumped his career-high in points twice already this year and has recorded five 20-point performances. Noland went off for a career-best 27 points in a win at Lehigh on Nov. 21, where he went 11-18 from the field.
At 36-36 from the charity stripe, Noland is the lone qualified player in the country with a perfect mark from the line.
Last week, Noland was named Ivy League Player of the Week and was added to the Lou Henson Award Early Season Watch List, which recognizes the top mid-major players in Division I college basketball.
How Many Miles Can He Go?
First-year guard Miles Franklin shined in his collegiate debut in the Nov. 7 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.
Franklin followed up on Nov. 10 at No. 3 UConn with a 10-point showing (eight in the second half) on 5-8 shooting. His performance included a posterizing dunk over Silas Demary Jr. with 8:42 remaining in the game.
Franklin poured in a career-best 18 points on 6-10 shooting on Nov. 26 at Fairfield and has scored double-figures in half of this season's games. His five steals on Nov. 23 vs. Longwood are the most by a Lion since Avery Brown had five on Nov. 15, 2023, against SUNY Delhi.
Franklin has been named Ivy League Rookie of the Week twice this season (Nov. 10 and Dec. 8).
1,000 Points Watch
Columbia's Kenny Noland (945 points) and Avery Brown (862 points) are each 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.
Series History - North Florida
Columbia meets North Florida for the first time ever on Sunday.
Up Next
Columbia returns home for its final non-conference game on Wednesday. Tip-off on New Year's Eve from Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium is set for 2 p.m. Click here to purchase tickets.
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.
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