Ivy League foes will collide when the Columbia Lions (20-9) square off against the Brown Bears (8-18) at Francis S. Levien Gymnasium. The game begins at 7:00 pm ET on Friday, Mar. 4.
The Lions enter this game hoping for similar success after dismantling Penn 93-65 in their last matchup. Alex Rosenberg was the game’s high scorer with 26 points on 10-for-14 shooting. The Bears, meanwhile, are feeling some disappointment after their 61-52 loss against Harvard in their last game. Tavon Blackmon accounted for 17 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Lions won the first game 77-73. Grant Mullins was a top performer in the victory with 25 points, three rebounds, four assists, and six three-pointers.
The Lions enter the game with records of 20-9 Straight Up (SU) and 10-9-1 Against The Spread (ATS). They have an ATS record of 7-3 in their last 10 games, but are just 3-7 SU. Columbia is excellent from the perimeter with 277 three-pointers made (9.0 per game), the 24th-most in the country. Few teams in the nation have a higher assist-to-turnover ratio than Columbia, which ranks 42nd at 1.34. The Columbia defense has been struggling to keep points off the board during its most recent matchups. The Lions have given up an average of 78.9 points to opponents in their last 10 games, well over their defense’s season average of 69.4 PPG.
In the other locker room, the Bears head into the game with records of 11-8 ATS and 8-18 SU. The Brown defense has allowed an average of 69.7 points per game during the last 10 games, lower than their season average of 77.5.
Following the Lions’ latest win over Brown, their SU record is now 6-4 over Brown in their most recent games. With a 6-4 record, the Bears have the advantage ATS. Columbia held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers twice, while Brown was never able to do so in their most recent five games.
Predictions: SU Winner – Colum, ATS Winner – Colum
Notes
Columbia averages 77.3 points per game (ranked 71st). Brown, on the other hand, allows 77.5 points per game (ranked 226th).
Brown scores just 70.8 points per away game (ranked 129th). Columbia ranks 99th in points allowed at home, giving up 66.9 points.
Ranked 21st, the Columbia Lions have an offensive rating of 115.1. The Brown Bears rank 190th with a defensive rating of just 108.4.
Columbia has an average field goal percentage of 45.6%. Brown is a subpar 2-9 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The Columbia Lions and the Brown Bears both rank higher in average effective field goal percentage when compared to their field goal percentages. Columbia is 104th and 35th in the nation for FG% and eFG% respectively, while Brown is 248th and 209th in these categories.
Columbia ranks 92nd in assists, recording 14.7 per game. Brown ranks 79th with 15.0 assists per game.
Brown, the 98th-ranked team in blocked shots, registers an average of 4.0 per game. Columbia does worse, ranked 161st with 3.5.
The Brown Bears make an average of 5.4 steals per game. When the Columbia Lions give up 5 or more steals, they are a winning 9-4.
