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Zine Eddine Bedri vs. Princeton
Columbia University Athletics / Lem Photography
73
Winner Princeton PU 18-9,7-5 Ivy League
68
Columbia CU 12-13,1-11 Ivy League
Winner
Princeton PU
18-9,7-5 Ivy League
73
Final
68
Columbia CU
12-13,1-11 Ivy League
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Princeton PU 37 36 73
Columbia CU 40 28 68

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Basketball Comes Up Short to Princeton on Friday

The Lions led at the half and took the Tigers down to the wire

NEW YORK — Columbia men's basketball lost a nail-biter to Princeton that ended 73-68 on Friday night inside a packed Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium.

Zine Eddine Bedri led the Lions with 16 points and five rebounds. Avery Brown and Kenny Noland each added 12 points. Blair Thompson grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

Princeton (18-9, 7-5) was led by Xaivian Lee, who recorded 21 points, nine rebounds, and five assists to lead the Tigers to victory.

Columbia (12-13, 1-11) spent 16:40 of the first half in the lead. The Lions strung together multiple runs en route to an early 10-point lead. With 6:21 left in the half, Princeton tied the game and briefly took the lead, but the Lions had a 40-37 advantage heading into the locker room. The Lions shot an efficient 17-of-31 (.548), but Princeton's seven threes to Columbia's two kept them neck-and-neck after 20 minutes.

The final frame had the crowd of 2,574 on the edge of their seats. Princeton led most of the way, but neither team was ever more than two possessions away from taking or losing the lead until the end. With 3:31 left in the game, the Tigers held a 60-59 lead and held on. 

Heading into the final minute, Princeton was up two and had possession. After running out the clock, Princeton's Blake Peters scored a layup to extend that lead to four, forcing Columbia to call a timeout. Columbia missed a three coming out of the timeout, and Princeton made enough of their free throws to pull away with the victory.

Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa returned to action and added seven points. Columbia hosts Penn on Saturday at 6 p.m. for Senior Night.

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