WNIT

Megan Griffith inks five-year extension with Columbia women’s basketball

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Columbia women’s basketball has posted a 99-77 record (41-43 Ivy League) in six seasons under coach Megan Griffith, claiming its first Ivy League championship in program history in 2022-23. (Photo by Erica Denhoff)

After a historic season for Columbia women’s basketball in which the Lions earned their first ever Ivy League regular season championship and WNIT Final appearance, coach Megan Griffith has signed a five-year extension that will keep her in Morningside Heights through the 2027-28 season.

Griffith, a King of Prussia, Pa. native, played point guard for Columbia from 2003 to 2007 and captained the team for her last three years.  Over that time, she twice earned All-Ivy and Academic All-Ivy accolades.  Following three years of professional basketball in Europe, she joined Courtney Banghart’s staff at Princeton, where she was director of basketball operations, assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.

When Columbia athletic director Peter Pilling tabbed the then-30-year-old to be the team’s head coach in March 2016, the Lions had just finished a five-year period in which they went 34-107 (.241) overall and 10-60 (.142) in the Ivy League.

“This is my home and I can’t thank Peter Pilling enough for taking a chance on me seven years ago. The buy-in and investment from our administration are unmatched in the history of our program and the Ivy League in general,” the coach told Columbia Athletics. “We’ve created something special for our community, our campus, our alumni and our fans, and I know we will continue to build on that.”

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Inside Ivy Hoops 4-11-23

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Ivy Hoops Online editor Mike Tony and IHO writer Rob Browne discuss memorable postseason runs for Princeton men’s and women’s basketball and Columbia and Harvard in the WNIT, the new “Big 5” (really City 6) Classic, the prospect and potential impact of athletic scholarships for Ivy hoopsters and much more:

Columbia women fall short at Kansas in WNIT title game

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The deepest run for an Ivy League team in WNIT history ended in defeat in the tournament final Saturday as Columbia fell at Kansas, 66-59, before an Allen Fieldhouse crowd of 11,701.

Horrid shooting and a disadvantage in the paint doomed the Lions in a defensive struggle they slowly but steadily lost control over in the second and third quarters, requiring a comeback effort that came up short.

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Columbia women advance to WNIT title game after holding off Bowling Green

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Columbia women’s basketball’s second straight historic WNIT run will continue after a wire-to-wire win at Bowling Green in the tournament semifinal setting up the Lions for a shot at the title Saturday.

Columbia held off host Bowling Green in a 77-70 victory Wednesday night before a sold-out crowd of 4,155 at the Stroh Center. The Lions will play for a WNIT championship as the visiting team at Kansas  (24-11, 9-9 Big 12) Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

Columbia becomes the first team in Ivy League history to reach the WNIT championship game.

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Harvard at Columbia in WNIT Great 8: What to watch for

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Columbia and Harvard women’s basketball will square off for a fourth time this season Sunday at 4 p.m. at Levien Gym on ESPN3.

This time, a WNIT Fab 4 berth is on the line.

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Harvard women headed for WNIT third round for first time in program history

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Harvard sophomore guard Harmoni Turner nearly recorded a second straight triple-double in Harvard’s WNIT second-round win at Massachusetts Monday night. (Erica Denhoff)

For the first time in program history, Harvard women’s basketball is headed for the third round of the WNIT.

The Crimson advanced to the third round of the WNIT Monday night with an 89-87 win at Massachusetts, propelled by memorable performances from sophomore guard Harmoni Turner and junior guard Lola Mullaney.

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Columbia women return to WNIT Super 16 after pushing past Fordham

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 Columbia is back in the WNIT Super 16 after a 78-73 defeat of Fordham in a tight interborough contest Monday night.

The Lions closed a nail biter on a 12-2 run to secure the victory.

”We stepped up and made some big plays,” Columbia coach Megan Griffith said.

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Harvard women rout Towson in opening round of the WNIT

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Harvard sophomore guard Harmoni Turner delivered a triple-double in the Crimson’s first-round WNIT win over Towson at Lavietes Pavilion Thursday. (Erica Denhoff)

Harvard sophomore point guard Harmoni Turner posted a triple-double to lead the Crimson to a 103-63 victory over Towson in the first round of the WNIT Thursday night.

Turner’s 21 points on 8-for-17 field-goal shooting, 13 assists and 10 rebounds made her only the second Harvard player and sixth Ivy athlete ever to record the feat.

By the end of the joyous evening at Lavietes Pavilion, six different Crimson players scored in double figures, the team had a season-high 26 assists, and the program notched its first 100-plus-point game since February 2019.

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Penn women fall to Richmond in WNIT

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The Richmond women started hot and never cooled off much at home, ending Penn’s season Thursday in a first-round WNIT game, 75-52.
There was no fairy-tale ending for Penn. Kayla Padilla notched 21 points on 7-for-18 shooting, eight rebounds and five assists — leading the team in all three categories — in her final game for the Red and Blue. She played all but the final seconds and got hugs from her coaches as time expired. But Richmond (21-10) played an impeccable game at Robins Court — jumping to an 11-0 lead and hitting five three-pointers in the first quarter. The Spiders’ lead built to as much as 29, and they outscored their opponents in each quarter.

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Ivy hoops postseason picture comes into view

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The Princeton men drew a No. 15 seed and will travel to Sacramento to face No. 2 Arizona Thursday. (Steve Silverman)

The Ivy hoops postseason picture is emerging.

The Princeton men were handed the lowest seed handed to an Ivy since Penn was disrespected with a No. 16 seed in 2018, while the Columbia women were deprived of a NCAA Tournament berth altogether despite a top-50 NET ranking.

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