Young Guard Secures Lions' Win

The future of Columbia basketball looked promising last Saturday night when freshman guard Kevin Bulger scored a career-high 17 points and amassed five rebounds and six assists. Bulger, who was a main factor in the Lions' 82-64 thrashing of Yale, proved the depth of the Columbia bench and of the Lions' freshman recruits.

"It felt really good. We've all been working really hard toward getting better each week and each game," Bulger said. "To finally see the work pay off in beating a team like Yale felt really good."

For Bulger, Saturday's win was just another step toward the top of the standings, a feat that he feels he was recruited to achieve. Although Bulger was also interested in Brown, Columbia head coach Joe Jones' early interest in him during the recruiting process was the deciding factor in bringing Bulger to Morningside Heights.

"Coach Jones really sold me on it," Bulger said. "He talked about how he wanted people to come here that wanted to build the team to a championship level. I liked the idea of the building model."

A three-year letter winner and two-year captain for Glenbrook South High School in Glenview, Ill., Bulger grew up playing both soccer and basketball.

"I actually started probably in first grade at the local YMCA, playing in leagues," Bulger said. "I was actually a big soccer player all throughout junior high and the start of high school, and then I started playing and focusing only on basketball."

Since arriving at Columbia last fall, Bulger has worked hard to acclimate himself to Ivy League basketball. Like the other freshmen, Bulger has tried to familiarize himself with the faster and more physical play of college basketball. In addition to the physical differences, Bulger is most aware of the mental changes that he has grown accustomed to.

"You really have to be on your toes and think about so many more things than just playing," Bulger said. "In college, you need to realize a lot more mental things, and that's been a big adjustment for me."

Bulger has also had to change his game from high school in order to fit his new team.

"I think coming from soccer, I was about physicality," Bulger said. "I have to use a little bit more skill now than trying to run people over. I kind of had to learn to slow down a little bit and not go at one speed. I had to learn to play at different speeds."

Bulger credits a lot of his individual success, as well as the team's collective success, with the behind-the-scenes work that the coaching staff does.

"The assistant coaches and Coach Jones work so hard, and people don't really realize how many hours they put in," Bulger said. "They all deserve a lot of credit because they put in a lot of work to help us win."

After his solid performance Saturday night, Bulger looks to finish the season strong and to prepare for what he hopes will be a run at the Ivy League championship next season.

"This weekend, we really want to close out on a positive note with two big wins," said Bulger. "We want to keep building towards the championship, but our focus now is on finishing .500 in the Ivy League and having a winning record this season."