Cornell Spoils Columbia’s Ivy League Opener, 67-60

Saturday, January 3

New York, N.Y.

2:00 p.m.

Columbia University

9-5,0-1Ivy League

Cornell

5-8,1-0Ivy League

Cornell

Columbia

Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Lem Photography

Cornell Spoils Columbia’s Ivy League Opener, 67-60

1/3/2026 6:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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Page scores a career-high 24 points, Henderson grabs a career-high 16 rebounds

NEW YORK – The Columbia women's basketball team fell to Cornell in its Ivy League opener, 67-60, Saturday afternoon from Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium.

Despite dominating in rebounding, 36-26, points in the paint, 36-16, and fast-break points, 16-4, Columbia (9-5, 0-1 Ivy) succumbed to 6-of-24 three-point shooting against red-hot Cornell (5-8, 1-0 Ivy). The Big Red made 10-of-19 from deep to earn their first series victory in NYC since 2018.

"I thought Cornell played a great game," Columbia head coach Megan Griffith said. "I'm just really struggling with our group right now in terms of their identity. What do they want their identity to be? … I was taken aback by a lack of our toughness today."

Senior co-captain Perri Page had a career scoring day, going for a game-high 24 points on 11-of-15 shooting and pulling down nine rebounds. Fliss Henderson posted her first career double-double with 11 points while setting a new career-high with 16 rebounds. The junior from Australia also had six assists and three steals. Marija Avlijas was the third Lion in double-figures, scoring 13.

Unfortunately, the Lions just did not make enough shots to weather the storm. Junior Riley Weiss, who was honored pregame for reaching 1,000 career points, was held to a season-low five points on 1-of-14 shooting, including 1-of-9 from deep. The Lions also did not get any scoring help off the bench, where Cornell outscored Columbia 18-0.

"You've got to hit shots," Griffith added. "You put Riley up against any of their shooters in a shootout, she's going to make more than them. For me, it's the confidence piece, it's the belief in what you're doing.

"Cornell literally had nothing to lose … Today, we were playing under pressure, for whatever reason, and I just saw a lot of blank stares. It's something we've got to work through as a group, but it's one game. That's what I keep telling them."

Columbia went 5:32 without scoring in the first quarter, while the Big Red went on an 8-0 run. Four turnovers and five consecutive missed shots made it difficult for the Lions to get going. However, they turned it on, over the final 4:41, going on a 6-0 run to take an 11-10 lead to the second quarter.

Cornell retook the lead on the first shot of the second quarter and didn't relinquish it the rest of the half, leading by a bucket, 28-26, at the break.

Avlijas stole the ball and went coast-to-coast for a layup to give the Lions a 35-33 lead early in the second half. Cornell responded with an 11-2 run to take a seven-point lead, which they would maintain entering the final 10 minutes.

A 7-0 Lions run in the fourth brought it as close as 52-48 with 5:43 to go, but Cornell responded in kind with an 8-0 run to take their biggest lead of the day, 60-48. Columbia chipped away at that lead until an Avlijas three from the corner brought the Lions within five points with 1:04 left.

The Lions forced a Big Red shot clock violation, but could not capitalize on a good look inside to make it a one-possession game. After a Cornell free throw, Columbia drew up an inbounds play that allowed Page to score an easy layup and make it a four-point game with 10 seconds left. However, time ran out on the comeback.

The Lions will look to bounce back on the road next Saturday at Harvard (8-6, 1-0 Ivy). Tip-off at Lavietes Pavilion in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is scheduled for 2 p.m.

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