DATE & TIME: Friday, February 8th, 7:30 p.m. (et).
FACTS & STATS: Site: Levien Gym (3,400) -- New York, New York. Television: None. Home Record: Harvard 7-3, Columbia 5-0. Away Record: Harvard 3-4, Columbia 3-9. Neutral Record: Harvard 1-0, Columbia 2-1. Conference Record: Harvard 4-1, Columbia 3-3. Series Record: Columbia leads, 85-61.
GAME NOTES: The Columbia Lions try to win their second straight Ivy League game on Friday night when they host the Harvard Crimson at Levien Gym in the Big Apple. Columbia is coming off a stunning 54-53 victory over Pennsylvania last Saturday, as it has won three of its last four games. The Lions have been tough at home this year, winning all five of their contests at Levien Gym, and improved to 3-3 versus the conference with their most recent triumph. Harvard saw its modest two-game winning streak come to an end last weekend as it fell to Yale at home, 66-57. The Crimson suffered their first Ivy loss of the season in five tries, but the team has seen its share of problems on the road, losing four of its seven games at away venues. Columbia has historically controlled the series with Harvard, having won 85 of the 146 meetings on the hardwood. The Lions and Crimson split a pair of regular season meetings a year ago as each team recorded a victory on its home floor. The teams have split their regular season affairs in each of the last four seasons.
After dominating the first half of play in last Saturday's contest versus Yale, Harvard collapsed in the second stanza and was saddled with an ugly nine-point loss. The Crimson held a 38-22 advantage at the intermission, but went cold in the second half and were outscored, 44-19 over the final 20 minutes. Harvard shot just 40.4 percent from the floor for the game, including a mere 30.8 percent in the second half. The Crimson hit just 6-of-23 three- pointers and committed 18 turnovers in the affair. Guard Patrick Harvey led the way with 21 points and was 8-of-18 from the floor in the setback. Harvey is the go-to guy for the Crimson this season, scoring a team-leading 18.6 ppg. He knocks down 38.5 percent of his three-pointers and shoots 44.2 percent from the floor overall. There is some depth on the roster as five other Harvard players are averaging between 7.0 and 9.1 ppg. The Crimson score 65 ppg, while allowing 63.7 ppg to opposing teams.
Columbia pulled off a shocker last Saturday as it surprised quite a few folks with a one-point triumph over Ivy League heavyweight, Pennsylvania. The Lions overcame a three-point halftime deficit by outscoring the Quakers, 29-25, in the final frame. Columbia shot 46.3 percent from the floor and was 5-of-11 from three-point range in the victory. The Lions also sank their free throws, going 11-of-12 at the charity stripe, and won the battle on the boards, 26-22. Forward Craig Austen led the way in the huge win with 14 points despite going just 6-of-20 from the field. Austen is the catalyst for the Lions this year as he is the only player on the roster averaging in double figures with 16.3 ppg. He also dishes out 2.1 apg and collects 5.4 rpg, while shooting 44.6 percent from the floor, including 34.4 percent from downtown. Three other players are averaging between 8.0 and 9.2 ppg as well. Columbia scores just 56.5 ppg and allows 57 ppg to the opposition.
The Lions will need to get another big effort from the entire team in this affair, but Austen will be the go-to guy down the stretch. Look for Columbia to keep the Crimson in check in the paint, but do not expect either team to surpass 65 points in this affair.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Columbia 63, Harvard 55
