The Columbia Lions (15-6) visit Yale to play the Bulldogs (13-5) in a matchup that pits the Ivy League’s top-ranked offense against the top-ranked defense. The game starts at 5:00 pm ET on Friday, Feb. 5 and will air on FS1.
The Bulldogs beat Princeton 79-75 the last time they played. With 16 points and 10 rebounds, Justin Sears recorded his second double-double this season. The Lions, meanwhile, are coming off a 55-54 win over Harvard in their last outing. Maodo Lo stood out for Columbia, accumulating 11 points, five rebounds, and four steals.
Over the last five games, Brandon Sherrod has been playing at a high level for the Bulldogs. During that stretch, he has averaged 17.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 0.8 steals.
Half-court execution will be at a premium as Yale ranks 270th in the nation in possessions per game (67.4 possessions per game), while Columbia is 271st (67.4).
Notes
Columbia won its last game by a one-point margin. In games decided by a margin of three points or less, Yale is 0-1. Columbia is 2-4 in close games this season.
The Columbia Lions rank 38th for their offensive rating of 113.5. The Yale Bulldogs have a defensive rating of 95.0 (ranked 26th).
The Yale Bulldogs average a field goal percentage of 46.9% this season. The Columbia Lions have split their games this season (2-2) when opponents have a FG% of 46.9% or greater.
The Yale Bulldogs rank higher based on their field goal percentage (47th) than their effective field goal percentage (70th). The Columbia Lions rank higher based on their effective field goal percentage (46th) than their field goal percentage (145th).
Yale ranks 63rd in assists, recording 15.6 per game. Columbia ranks 77th with 15.3 assists per game.
Yale, the 66th-ranked team in blocked shots, records an average of 4.5 per game. Columbia does worse, ranked 167th with 3.5.
Yale is one of the best teams in the country when it comes to offensive rebounds, ranking sixth. Columbia ranks just 150th in defensive rebounds.
On average, Yale forces a turnover rate of 19.1%. When Columbia turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a stellar 8-2 record.
