WVU Basketball Preparing for ‘Tough’ Test Against Columbia

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The WVU women’s basketball team will face an opponent from the Ivy League in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row when the Mountaineers tip-off against Columbia Saturday afternoon.

West Virginia battled back to defeat Princeton 63-53 to begin last year’s national tournament.

“I think you have a ton of respect for the Ivy League,” second-year WVU coach Mark Kellogg said Friday morning. “Princeton battled us. We were down at half in that game, and I think we had a pretty good third quarter to kind of separate a little bit.”

Columbia showcased its toughness as the Lions came back from a 13-point deficit to defeat Washington in a First Four game Thursday night to advance to Saturday’s contest against WVU.

“I think they’re very tough,” Kellogg said. “I thought we learned that a year ago when we played Princeton of the Ivy League, just how tough that league is. And just physically, they just battle.”

The Lions trailed Washington by 13 at halftime, 34-21. Columbia got within five points by the end of the third quarter and outscored the Huskies 23-15 in the final frame to win 63-60.

The Mountaineers weren’t able to focus on either Columbia or Washington prior to Thursday’s play-in game, so getting to see them live in Carmichael Arena on Thursday was a big benefit.

“One thing that definitely stood out to us was their ability to execute in the second half of the game,” said WVU senior Sydney Shaw. “Once they settled in, they were really solid, so just making sure we stay on our As and Bs and just execute the same way they did.”

“I think they were a team that stayed together despite being down in the first half,” WVU star guard JJ Quinerly added. “They came back and won that game being together, so that was a good sight for us.”

Three players finished in double figures for Columbia, led by Riley Weiss’s game-high 24 points. Cecelia Collins scored 12 and Kitty Henderson had 11 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. The Lions won the rebounding and turnover battles against Washington.

“It came across our mind that we’re playing another Ivy League team, and I think they kind of are similar with toughness,” WVU point guard Jodan Harrison said. “I feel like all Ivy League teams are unexpectedly tough, tougher than people think they are.”

Thursday’s victory was Columbia’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win. The Lions were one of three Ivy League teams to make the NCAA Tournament. Princeton fell in a First Four game to Iowa State Thursday, while conference champion Harvard takes on Michigan State in the frist round Saturday.

“They have our ultimate respect, our ultimate attention,” Kellogg said. “They’ve had a phenomenal year, they have a great culture, they have a championship culture. That group stays together. They’ve got a really good thing going at Columbia, and like I said, we’re very well aware of it, and it will take our best effort to advance.”

Stay tuned for WV Sports Now’s complete coverage of the WVU women’s basketball team in the NCAA Tournament on location in Chapel Hill, N.C.