As it was in Columbia's victory over Cornell last Saturday, strong defense will be the key to winning for the men's basketball team when it hosts Dartmouth and Harvard this weekend.
The Lions (6-11, 1-3 Ivy) limited the Big Red to 27 percent shooting from the floor and a total of 38 points in last week's game, numbers well below Cornell's average this season. The interior defense of sophomore center Chris Wiedemann and junior forward Joe Case effectively shut down Cornell big men Jake Rohe and Ray Mercedes. And the Columbia guards, led by junior Victor Muñoz, aggressively defended the perimeter against Cornell's Wallace Prather and Ka'ron Barnes.
Against the Big Green and the Crimson, Columbia will try to apply the same level of pressure on its opponents' offenses. Lacking offensive consistency, the Lions have come to rely on defense to finish on top.
"Because we have been having a problem this year with our shooting, because it's been up and down, the one thing that has to remain a constant for us is our defensive effort," Head Coach Armond Hill said. "And that is what is going to keep us in the game. In the end, defense always wins."
Even though defensive intensity has been a big part of the winning formula for the Light Blue, the team cannot succeed without putting points on the board. Junior forwards Craig Austin and Case did their part offensively in the Cornell game by each scoring in double digits. Tonight and tomorrow, they will have to do more of the same, especially on Saturday against Harvard.
Harvard (10-6, 3-1) is a team that knows how to score, and the Crimson will give the Lions' defense a run for its money. Senior forward and scoring leader Dan Clemente is a threat from almost anywhere and will certainly be a tough assignment. Sophomore Elliott Prasse-Freeman, Harvard's starting point guard, is "one of the best assist players in the league," according to Hill.
Only a half-game behind league leader Yale (3-0), Harvard has had a great start this season. Not only does the Crimson have a formidable offense, but its defense is also solid and leads the Ivy League in steals.
"Harvard is playing very well," Coach Hill said. "They are an excellent defensive team."
Although Dartmouth (5-12, 0-4) enters Friday's game at Levien not having won a single league game this season, the Big Green should not be dismissed. They have a well-balanced roster of large bodies inside and deadly sharp-shooters on the outside.
With senior guard Greg Buth and junior Jay Jenckes at center, who weighs in at 270 lbs. and stands at 6'11", Dartmouth has a powerful and intimidating frontcourt. It is no surprise that Jenckes, with his towering height, leads the league in rebounds.
"Dartmouth is 0-4 in the league, but every game has been a tough game [for their opponents]," Coach Hill said. "They have big players in Buth and Jenckes. And they have a good perimeter. Their point-guard is exceptional. He's very fast, and so we are going to have a challenge trying to keep our bodies in front of him."
Winning will not come easily against either of these two teams, but the Lions can come away from this weekend triumphant if they can repeat the kind of defensive performance and all around, full-game effort that hey displayed last week.