.png&width=24&type=webp)
Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Columbia
Women's Basketball Loses In Final Minute To Columbia, 48-45
February 27, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 27, 2004
Box Score
New York, N.Y. - Becky Brown scored 16 of her game-high 21 points in the first half of a losing effort as Princeton fell to Columbia 48-45 at the Columbia-Barnard Athletic Consortium. The Tigers led through the second half but Columbia earned the win from the foul line, hitting 13 free throws after intermission.
Princeton, which dropped its sixth straight to Columbia, fell to 6-17 overall and 3-7 in the Ivy League. Columbia improved 11-12 and 5-6.
The Tigers won the tap but turned the ball over, leading to a driving layup by Lesko. Columbia led 4-0 on another basket by Lesko before Becky Brown put Princeton on the board.
The Tigers' zone opened the arc for the Lions, who capitalized with back-to-back threes for a 10-4 lead at 14:11. But Princeton mixed up its defense and used fiesty freshman guard Elyse Umeda to force turnovers and pick up steals. Brown scored the first 10 points for Princeton, which trailed 14-10 at 8:00. The next basket for either team came on a Lauren Nestor jumper at 4:05. The Tigers tied the score briefly but a three-point play by Susan Kern helped Columbia retain its lead, 19-16 with under a minute to play.
With both teams in the bonus, Umeda hit the front end of a one-and-one and rebounded her miss on the second, feeding Brown down low to knot the score 19-19 at halftime.
Brown finished with 16 of Princeton's 19 first-half points while Umeda had three assists and two steals. The Tigers shot 35% from the floor, were 0 for 6 from long range and committed 12 turnovers but Columbia was no better, shooting 28% overall and hitting just 2 of 11 (18%) three-point attempts. The teams combined for 2-for-8 free throw shooting.
Katy O'Brien gave Princeton its first lead of the game with a three to open the second. Umeda then scored four straight on an inside move and two free throws, and Brown hit another layup for a 28-22 Princeton lead at 17:00. Columbia swished 3 of 4 foul shots but Ali Smith scored four fast break points, and the Tigers had its biggest lead 32-24 at 14:56.
Digovich picked up her fourth foul at 13:27 and Columbia was in the bonus at 11:00. Columbia pulled within one, 34-33, on four free throws and a Sue Altman three-pointer before Umeda and Smith connected for another fast break layup. Princeton led 36-33 at 7:21.
The Lions used a 5-0 run to take their first lead of the half at 5:58 but Princeton responded with a Digovich three-point play and two free throws from Brown. The teams traded baskets but Altman hit two more foul shots for a 47-45 Columbia lead with two minutes remaining.
Digovich missed two free throws at 1:08. Princeton held Columbia on the next possession but a jump ball rebound gave the ball back to the Lions with a new count on the shot clock. The Tigers fouled on the inbounds and Erin Jaschik hit 1 of 2, giving Princeton possession with 0:28 to play.
A deep three by O'Brien fell short as the buzzer sounded and Columbia walked away with its sixth straight win over Princeton.
Brown finished with seven rebounds while Umeda had five points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Altman and Lesko led Columbia with 13 and 11 points.
Princeton plays at Cornell tomorrow, Saturday Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.