Saturday was just another day at the office for high-flying Columbia women’s basketball.
The Light Blue defeated Yale, 97-53, at John J. Lee Amphitheater before a highly partisan Columbia crowd.
Columbia (12-2, 1-0 Ivy) never trailed in winning its ninth straight contest.
The Lions roared out of the gate quickly, taking an 8-3 lead on consecutive treys by senior forward Hannah Pratt and junior guard Abbey Hsu. They led 18-5 in a first quarter in which Yale (6-8, 0-1) was a woeful 1-for-15 from the field and committed nine turnovers.
Yale went on a 10-0 run and cut the lead to 20-15 on a triple from first-year guard and three-time Ivy Rookie of the Week Kiley Capstraw.
But Yale would get no closer.
Columbia led 45-23 at the half, shooting 53% and holding Yale to 21%.
Columbia won the rebounding battle, 50-30.
The Lions led by as many as 47 in the second half, with nine Lions getting into the scoring column.
”We share the ball well and play very unselfish basketball,” Columbia coach Megan Griffith said. “It wasn’t just two players (scoring). Just look at the stat sheet.”
Senior guard Jaida Patrick led the team with 18 points. Senior guard/forward Kaitlyn Davis put up 16 and sophomore guard Kitty Henderson posted 15.
Yale coach Dalila Eshe said that the game, her first Ivy contest at the Bulldogs’ helm, was “frustrating.”
“Columbia is a very good team, but it is about us and we didn’t show up today,” Eshe said. “Columbia has firepower at every position.”
Notes:
- Griffith was not surprised by Princeton’s loss at Harvard. “Harvard is always dangerous at home,” Griffith said. Columbia plays at Princeton on Friday.
- Out for the season with injury, Yale captain Camilla Emsbo will probably make a decision about where she will play her fifth year within a month or so. Many power-five schools are in the mix, including Michigan.
- Yale will return a trip to Syracuse next season and will also play in a California tournament since both sophomore guard Avery Lee and junior guard Klara Astrom hail from the Golden State.
- Columbia will play Seton Hall and Memphis at home and play in the Bahamas next season
- The Lions prepared for this season with tough secret scrimmages against both No. 25 St. John’s and Villanova.