Lions to Rely on Interior Offense Against LIU

The last time Columbia faced Long Island University, Ben Nwachukwu and John Baumann dominated the paint, with the big men combining for 37 points and 20 rebounds in the Lions' blowout in Brooklyn.

This year, the game plan isn't expected to change.

"We're an inside-out team," head coach Joe Jones said. "John and Ben played well over the weekend and they played well against LIU last year."

Columbia (3-1) enters the game on a three-game winning streak after earning their third Tyler Ugolyn Columbia Classic championship over the weekend, with victories over NJIT and Kennesaw State. The Blackbirds (1-1) come into the game following a disappointing 70-54 loss at Minnesota last week.

Baumann and Nwachukwu will be expected to shoulder the load offensively against the undersized Blackbirds. The duo has shown consistent improvement this season as Columbia runs more of an inside-outside offense. Nwachukwu has developed a stronger left hand and rebounding presence, as he was named the MVP of the Columbia Classic due to his strong play in the second halves of both games.

They will be supported by the freshman duo of Niko Scott and Patrick Foley, who have both impressed in early action. A playmaking point guard with the ability to create opportunities for teammates through dribble penetration, Foley engineered both of Columbia's second-half comebacks. The two freshmen have played well with another, with Scott often flashing a smooth stroke from behind the arc as the Lions' second leading scorer.

The Blackbirds are led by senior guards James Williams and Aubin Scott. Williams, an aggressive point guard who looks for his own shot, averages 16.5 points per game, while Scott averages 13.5 points and eight rebounds per contest from the off-guard position.

"They're a good team," Jones said. "They have a good off-guard, Scott, who can score. They also have a point guard who likes to score and a freshman who is playing well."

On the season, the Blackbirds have struggled with shot selection, shooting just over 35 percent from the field and turning the ball over 18 times a game.

This will be Columbia's third game in five days and the Lions will need to utilize their depth due to the intense schedule.

"We've tried to go a little lighter," Jones said. "Yesterday, we had a short practice and today we practiced for about an hour-and-a-half from when we started."

Loose Balls...

Columbia won last season's contest, 80-63 ... The Blackbirds were picked to finish third in the NEC in the preseason media poll ... John Baumann was named the Ivy Player of the Week for averaging 18 points a game during his first four games of the season ... Freshman guard Kevin Bulger was not with the team today because he flew back home due to the death of a friend. He is expected to be back for tomorrow's game.