Grizzlies Descend on Lions for Opener

Hoping to improve on last season’s 8-20 mark, the Columbia women’s basketball team opens its season this afternoon against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies. The Lions and Grizzlies last played each other in 2003 in the Dead River Company Classic in Orono, Maine, and Oakland came away with a 64-59 victory.

For the Lions to best the Grizzlies, they will need to show improvement in nearly every facet of the game, as last year’s team finished second to last in the Ivy League and near the bottom in almost every statistical category.

Already the worst scoring team in the Ancient Eight, Columbia lost last year’s leading scorer, Megan Griffith, to graduation. Griffith has been replaced by sophomore Sara Yee, who played 15 minutes per game last season. Yee is joined in the backcourt by the nation’s best three-point shooter, Brittney Carfora, All-Ivy League sophomore Danielle Brown, and senior Michelle Gage. Gage missed all of last season due to injury, but as a sophomore she was the team’s leading rebounder and second leading scorer.
Gage’s rebounding prowess will be a welcome addition to the starting lineup, as rebounding is one area in which the Lions hope to have an edge over the Grizzlies. While they were the worst rebounding team in the Ivy League last season, the Lions will start three players that are 5’11” or taller, including 6’3” center Chelsea Frazier. Meanwhile, Oakland starts no one above six feet, and are smaller than Columbia at nearly every position.

The Grizzlies opened the season with an exhibition game against Western Ontario, which they won 72-58. Sophomore forward Hanna Reising led the team with 21 points and three steals. Reising is one of three returning starters, along with junior guards Riikka Terava and Jessica Pike. Oakland finished 19-13 last season, and won the regular season Mid-Continent league title. While they had a successful season, the Grizzlies were only 7-11 out of conference. Of more importance to the Lions, they were just 1-7 in nonconference road games.

The Lions should look to take advantage of the home setting—where they were 6-6 last season—and sweep the season opening doubleheader that continues with a game at Wagner tomorrow.

Today’s game against Oakland starts at 4:30 p.m. in Levien Gym.