Dec. 27, 2004
NEW YORK, N.Y. -
Columbia competes in the Dreyfus Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden Dec. 28 and 30. Columbia plays North Carolina State at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday in round one in a game to be broadcast on the MSG Network.
N.C. State enters the Festival ranked 16th nationally with a record of 9-1 behind the play of National Player of the Year candidate Julius Hodge. Hodge, a former prep standout at St. Raymond's High School in the Bronx, N.Y., is averaging 18.9 ppg on 60 percent shooting from the floor.
The Lions, currently 6-2, are off to their best eight-game start since the 2001-02 season. Led by senior forward Matt Preston, the Lions are just five wins from surpassing last year's win total of 10. Preston averages 15.4 ppg and 7.5 rpg, while junior forward Dragutin Kravic averages 10.3 pg and 4.1 rpg.
The last time the Lions played in Madison Square Garden was during the 1987-88 season.
Tickets are still available to Dreyfus Holiday Festival. Columbia has sold out its allotment of tickets for the 28th, but has plenty of good seats left for the 30th. If you still need tickets for the 28th, please contact the ticket office at MSG directly. You can still get your discounted tickets for the 30th by calling the Columbia Athletic Ticket Office at 212-854-0043.
