Immediately after losing to Harvard women’s basketball in the Ivy League semifinal, Columbia senior forward Perri Page said in no uncertain terms, “We are winning the WBIT. I can tell you that right now.”
Two games in, Columbia are more than backing up Page. After demolishing St. John’s 74–26 at home on Thursday, the Lions (22–8, 11–3 Ivy) romped past North Dakota State (29–5, 15–1 Summit), 86–57, in Columbia’s first-ever trip to the Peace Garden State.
“Our team has done a great job of turning the page,” Columbia coach Megan Griffith told ESPN+ after the game.
Harvard, which dispatched Columbia from the Ivy League Tournament after spoiling the latter’s Ivy League title pursuit late in the season, took care of business at Lavietes Pavilion to advance from the WBIT’s second round simultaneously Sunday, holding Eastern Kentucky to just two first-quarter points en route to a 63-34 win.