NEW YORK (AP)—K.J. Matsui scored 17 points, hitting five 3-pointers, and Columbia defeated Princeton 58-44 on Friday night, eliminating the Tigers from the Ivy League race.
Coupled with Cornell’s 83-58 victory over Penn, the defeat gave Cornell its second straight championship and the Ivy League’s NCAA tournament berth.
Princeton (12-13, 7-5 Ivy) was held to 20 points in the second half after leading 24-20 at intermission.
Joe Bova and Jason Miller had 10 points each for the Lions while Douglas Davis led the Tigers with 10.
Columbia (12-15, 7-5) scored the first 14 points of the second half to build a 34-24 lead.
Princeton cut the margin to five at 38-33 on Patrick Saunders’ jumper with 7:08 to go, but the Lions responded with a 10-3 run as Matsui hit two more 3-pointers to put Columbia in front 48-36 with 2:49 left.
Columbia opened the game with a 10-2 burst as Matsui hit two quick 3-pointers, but the Tigers fought back to take the halftime lead with Davis scoring eight in the final 10:46 of the opening half.
