Men’s Basketball Holds Off Penn for Second Straight Win, 72-67

Friday, January 30

New York, N.Y.

7:00 P.M.

Columbia University

14-6,3-3Ivy League

Penn

9-10,2-4Ivy League

Penn

Columbia

Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Anastasija Ignjatovic

Men’s Basketball Holds Off Penn for Second Straight Win, 72-67

1/30/2026 9:54:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Highlights Postgame: Igoe & Thompson Game Book Photo Gallery

The Lions shot a blistering 59.3 percent in the second half; Igoe notches double-double

NEW YORK — Columbia men's basketball held on to defeat Penn, 72-67, on Friday night inside Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium.

Columbia (14-6, 3-3) held the Quakers (9-10, 2-4) to 1-of-7 from the floor to end the game. Penn took their first lead of the night with 9:05 left in the second half, but after four lead changes, the Lions came out on top. Penn was able to make it a two-point game when AJ Levine laid in a basket with 20 seconds left, but Connor Igoe knocked down three free throws to ice the game.

"We have great leaders," Igoe said postgame on ESPN+. "Everybody buys into the right things and our coaches put us in great positions. We practice late-game situations. Stay composed, do your job, and it showed tonight. We have guys that are willing to put the team first."

Igoe posted his second career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds to go with five assists. Blair Thompson led the team in scoring with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Gerard O'Keefe scored 14 on 4-of-5 three-point shooting. Mason Ritter was Columbia's fourth in double-figures, scoring 10 points and grabbing eight boards. Kenny Noland did a little of everything, putting up seven points, nine rebounds, and eight assists.

The Lions held Penn's top scorer Ethan Roberts to just five points on the night. Columbia out-rebounded its opponent by double-digits for the 10th time this season, dominating Penn on the glass, 39-29. The Lions also posted 40 points in the paint.

"We know everyone on the court can get it done," Thompson said. "We have faith in every single person on the bench and everybody helping our team."

The Lions took an early 10-4 lead as Ritter scored six of the Lions' first 10. Miles Franklin threw down an electric dunk on the fast break with 12:27 to play in the opening half to jump start the Lions after two-and-a-half minutes of no scoring from either side.

Thompson had his own 7-0 run to give the Lions their biggest lead of the first half at 25-12 with 8:42 until the break. Penn followed with a 13-2 stretch as the Lions went silent for almost five minutes before buckets from O'Keefe and Igoe revived Columbia's offense and gave the Lions a 32-25 lead heading into halftime.

Columbia made seven straight shots to go in front 49-39 with 14:07 to play before Penn responded with a 9-0 run and eventually took the lead with 9:05 left.

Columbia is right back in action on Saturday when it hosts Princeton at 6 p.m. from Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium. Click here to purchase tickets.

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