The last time Columbia swept a road Ivy weekend was in Joe Jones' first year against the same two teams they defeated this past weekend-Harvard and Dartmouth. Although the win against the Crimson was a blowout from start to finish, the victory over the Big Green was one that just last year the Lions would have thrown away down the stretch.

Instead, Columbia pulled away late with clutch three-pointers from experienced juniors John Baumann and Brett Loscalzo, evening up their Ivy record at .500.

The game against Dartmouth had the makings of another collapse late for Columbia, as had been seen in the past two weeks against Cornell. In years past the Lions have suffered many tough league defeats that have immediately led them down to the Ivy cellar. But there was a noticeable difference in the mentality and maturity of the team on the court Saturday evening in Hanover. They did not fold, and that is the biggest sign of a program beginning to turn itself around.

The question that needs to be answered if the Lions are to continue this momentum is how they pulled off the rare road sweep. Against Harvard, it seemed as if every shot put up was finding the bottom of the net, including an unconscious 11-13 from beyond the arc in the first half en route to a 26-point halftime lead. The next evening Baumann played one of, if not the best, games of his Columbia career and received solid contributions from veteran teammates like Loscalzo and junior Ben Nwachukwu.

Certainly there are aspects from last weekend that can be improved upon, including an assist-to-turnover ratio of under one against Dartmouth that would have led to a defeat against almost any other Ivy team. Even then, though, the Lions were able to prevail with hot shooting late in the contest based on smart passing. And that is where Columbia finds its answer.

In the two games against Cornell, the Lions turned the ball over and repeatedly took poor shots early in the shot clock. The discipline of a good team was lacking as Columbia failed to run more time off the clock to preserve a victory. Against Dartmouth, the Lions used the clock wisely, moving the ball seamlessly between the perimeter and the interior, eventually opening up the Big Green defense to find open looks.

The momentum the team carries from the victories in northern New England will be put to the test immediately on Friday against the team atop the Ivy standings, Yale. The Bulldogs are coming off an impressive victory over perennial power Penn, where they pulled away early in the second half and never looked back. But what looks on paper to be the worst time for Columbia to take on the Elis could actually be the Lions' best chance to pull off the upset.

After big wins teams often fail to match their intensity from the previous contest, leading to the proverbial letdown game, especially on the road. Columbia, on the other hand, returns to the friendly confines of Levien after their two longest road trips of the season with an added incentive to continue their hot play and insert themselves into the league mix.

For the Lions to take down Yale, ball control and smart passing will be decisive. The Bulldogs are known for their scrappy, quick defense that has plagued many a Columbia team in the past.

Still, the opportunity is there, and with it, the chance to solidify a top-tier finish in the Ancient Eight.