RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Columbia University women's basketball team will look for its fifth consecutive victory on Monday evening as it takes on N.C. State at 7 p.m. The Lions enter the game with an 8-4 record, while the Wolfpack is 9-5 this season.
LAST TIME OUT
Trailing by four midway through the second half, the Columbia University women's basketball team went on a decisive 20-3 run over a nine-minute span to propel it to a 66-56 victory over American on Saturday afternoon at Levien Gymnasium. Junior Judie Lomax led three Columbia players in double figures with 24 points while adding 15 rebounds for her 10th double-double of the year. Classmate Kathleen Barry had 17 points, while junior Lauren Dwyer added 15 points and nine rebounds.
LAST YEAR vs. N.C. STATE
Judie Lomax recorded her fourth double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds but the Lions could not overcome 26 points from N.C. State's Sharnise Beal in a 78-58 loss to the Wolfpack in front of 1,632 fans at Levien Gymnasium. The attendance figure set a women's basketball single-game record, which was broken this season against St. John's.
ABOUT COLUMBIA
The Lions are in the midst of a four-game winning streak, and have won both of their games following mid-semester break. Columbia nipped Robert Morris on the road, 64-63, then defeated American this past Saturday for its eighth victory of the season. Junior Judie Lomax has been the catalyst for the Lions winning ways of late, and currently leads the Ivy League in scoring (17.3 ppg) and rebounding (13.5 rpg). Junior Kathleen Barry ranks second on the team in both categories at 12.2 ppg and 5.3 rpg, and classmate Lauren Dwyer is the third Columbia player averaging double figures at 12.0 ppg.
ABOUT N.C. STATE
The Wolfpack enter the contest with a 9-5 record, and most recently defeated USC right before the New Year, 59-53. N.C. State also has three players averaging double figures, led by Bonae Holston at 11.9 ppg. Holston also leads the team at 7.0 rpg. Marissa Kastanek is the team's main three-point threat and averages 10.7 ppg. Nikitta Gartrell ranks third in scoring at 10.1 ppg. Seven Wolfpack players average 20 minutes per game or above, while an eighth (Emili Tasler) plays 16.9 minutes per contest.
ALL-TIME vs. ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE
Surprisingly enough, last season's tilt against N.C. State was the first and only contest that Columbia has played against an ACC school in its history.
LEND A HELPING HAND
During its four-game winning streak the Lions have averaged 16.3 assists per contest, including back-to-back games of 18 assists against Robert Morris and American. Against the Eagles Columbia registered assists on 78.3 percent of their field goals, the highest percentage of the season.
RECORD SETTERS
With a win over American on Saturday, the Lions set a new program record for wins through 12 games. The eight wins breaks the previous mark of seven set three other times, most recently in 2004-05. The victory total also eclipses the mark for non-conference wins in a season of seven, which was set last year.
