The 1-1 Columbia men's basketball team, fresh from a 47-41 demolition of Delaware State in the first round of the Preseason NIT, faces Ohio State tonight. ESPN will be covering the big game from 9pm eastern time.
For all I know, this is the first game the Lions have ever won in the Preseason NIT. This is certainly a step up in difficulty from the Columbia Classics of the last three seasons, and I hope the team acquits itself well against last year's NCAA runner up. Columbia itself has not played in the NCAA Tournament since 1968, when the Lions beat La Salle in the first round before an overtime loss to Davidson and a win over St. Bonaventure in the East Region's third place game.
With Columbia returning just about everyone from last season, when they were more than respectable, hopes have been raised quite high for 2007-08. But it's been 40 years since they won the Ivy League, and unless the sport is fencing*, it rarely pays to be even slightly optimistic about Columbia's chances. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
* I think 12 national championships and who knows how many Ivy League titles count for something.
No comments:
Post a Comment