Monday, November 2
New York, N.Y.
11:00 a.m.
Columbia
1-0,0-0Ivy League
71
vs
65
Davidson
0-1,0-0Atlantic 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davidson | 15 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 65 |
| Columbia | 18 | 17 | 15 | 21 | 71 |
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
11/2/2026 2:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Lions Use Late Fourth-Quarter Surge and Interior Defense to Secure Season-Opening Victory
NEW YORK – Junior forward Mary Ashley Stevenson poured in 20 points in her Lions debut, junior guard Mia Broom scored 19 points with clutch fourth-quarter 3-pointers, senior guard Riley Weiss delivered 18 points, and the Columbia women's basketball team held off Davidson, 71-65, on Monday morning in front of an Education Day crowd of 2,732 on Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium.
Columbia (1-0) kicked off its 42nd season in program history by winning a hard-fought game, using interior defense early and timely late-game shooting to turn back a persistent Davidson squad.
"I'm so proud of our team. I just thought that they played very connected," associate head coach Tyler Cordell said following the win. "They believed in our game plan, not only from the staff, but from each other. They just believed and trusted, and they showed that together on the court today. Davidson is a very good team... so for us, it's great to use that as momentum."
Down to the wire in a tight fourth quarter that featured six ties and 16 lead changes throughout the morning, Broom stepped up by making a go-ahead 3-pointer with 5:25 remaining to put Columbia ahead 59-57. After Davidson answered, Stevenson scored a layup with 2:28 left to put Columbia ahead 63-62. Holding a two-point lead with 38 seconds on the clock, Broom connected on her third 3-pointer of the game to make it 70-65 and secure the victory.
"Honestly, internally it just showed us that belief in the system, belief in each other, it'll work every time," Cordell added.
The closing minutes capped a day of back-and-forth action, including a third-quarter rally by the Lions. Davidson (0-1) opened the second half with an 11-0 run to build a 44-35 lead. Meanwhile, Columbia started the half with an 0-for-5 shooting stretch and five turnovers. Stevenson halted the scoring lapse with a driving layup past the six-minute mark, adding to an efficient 8-of-12 shooting performance from the floor.
With two minutes left in the frame, senior guard Fliss Henderson hit Columbia's first 3-pointer of the morning to cut the deficit to 46-44. Stevenson beat the buzzer with a layup at the horn to lift Columbia back in front, 50-49.
When asked about absorbing Davidson's third-quarter run, Stevenson emphasized the squad's resilience: "This team has had adversity... We know that when we hit adversity, we are more than equipped to hit back. Today was a perfect example of that. They hit that 11-point run, but then we came back even stronger, and that's what you're going to see from us this season."
Davidson stayed competitive all morning behind guard Katie Donovan, who scored a game-high 22 points on 8-of-18 shooting, while Kyra Bruyndoncx added 15 points and five steals.
The Lions established their initial rhythm early through interior defense, led by senior forward Hilke Feldrappe. The 6-foot-3 forward swatted three shots in the opening few minutes and ended the first quarter with four blocks. Behind Feldrappe's rim protection, Columbia forced three turnovers and logged five total blocks in the opening frame, holding the Wildcats to 35.3 percent shooting (6-of-17) to build an 18-15 lead.
"Shout out Hilke... I've loved playing with her," said Stevenson, who teamed up with Feldrappe inside. "She's an extremely smart player... I bring a lot of the physicality, and she brings a lot of the smarts, so we've been able to play off of each other. For her to be so defensively dominant in this game was a huge deal for us."
Columbia built its largest lead of the first half midway through the second quarter, putting together an 8-0 run over a 90-second span to go up 30-25 with 4:45 left and force a Davidson timeout. Henderson, who pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds to go with seven assists, sank two free throws with 7.9 seconds remaining to ensure the Lions took a 35-33 edge into the break. Weiss led Columbia with 11 first-half points, finishing the day with 18 points to tie Ula Lysniak for third on Columbia's all-time scoring list. Broom added 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting, supplying scoring alongside Stevenson's 20-point performance.
Stevenson credited her new teammates for helping her adjust quickly on the floor: "It's hard being a transfer, but for them to welcome me with open arms the way that they have... they believed in me, so it's pretty easy to believe in yourself."
Columbia outscored Davidson 44-40 in the paint while shooting 49.1 percent (28-of-57) from the floor and 91.7 percent (11-of-12) from the free-throw line. The Lions also swatted seven blocks and recorded 18 assists on 28 made field goals to earn the opening-day win.
The Lions head to Nashville, Tennessee, this Friday, Nov. 6, to start play in the Opening Statement tournament against Rhode Island. Tip-off at Curb Event Center is set for 6 p.m. ET.
FOLLOW THE LIONS
For the latest on Columbia women's basketball, follow @CULionsWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, or on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
Columbia (1-0) kicked off its 42nd season in program history by winning a hard-fought game, using interior defense early and timely late-game shooting to turn back a persistent Davidson squad.
"I'm so proud of our team. I just thought that they played very connected," associate head coach Tyler Cordell said following the win. "They believed in our game plan, not only from the staff, but from each other. They just believed and trusted, and they showed that together on the court today. Davidson is a very good team... so for us, it's great to use that as momentum."
Down to the wire in a tight fourth quarter that featured six ties and 16 lead changes throughout the morning, Broom stepped up by making a go-ahead 3-pointer with 5:25 remaining to put Columbia ahead 59-57. After Davidson answered, Stevenson scored a layup with 2:28 left to put Columbia ahead 63-62. Holding a two-point lead with 38 seconds on the clock, Broom connected on her third 3-pointer of the game to make it 70-65 and secure the victory.
Knock Down!!! 🧹 Mia Broom puts the Lions up 5️⃣ with 34 seconds left! Watch on ESPN+ 🖥️ https://t.co/NYprd8vd4N #RoarLionRoar // #EDGE // #OnlyHere 🗽 https://t.co/XUVeeLxjHY
— Columbia Women's Basketball (@CULionsWBB) November 2, 2026
"Honestly, internally it just showed us that belief in the system, belief in each other, it'll work every time," Cordell added.
The closing minutes capped a day of back-and-forth action, including a third-quarter rally by the Lions. Davidson (0-1) opened the second half with an 11-0 run to build a 44-35 lead. Meanwhile, Columbia started the half with an 0-for-5 shooting stretch and five turnovers. Stevenson halted the scoring lapse with a driving layup past the six-minute mark, adding to an efficient 8-of-12 shooting performance from the floor.
With two minutes left in the frame, senior guard Fliss Henderson hit Columbia's first 3-pointer of the morning to cut the deficit to 46-44. Stevenson beat the buzzer with a layup at the horn to lift Columbia back in front, 50-49.
When asked about absorbing Davidson's third-quarter run, Stevenson emphasized the squad's resilience: "This team has had adversity... We know that when we hit adversity, we are more than equipped to hit back. Today was a perfect example of that. They hit that 11-point run, but then we came back even stronger, and that's what you're going to see from us this season."
Davidson stayed competitive all morning behind guard Katie Donovan, who scored a game-high 22 points on 8-of-18 shooting, while Kyra Bruyndoncx added 15 points and five steals.
The Lions established their initial rhythm early through interior defense, led by senior forward Hilke Feldrappe. The 6-foot-3 forward swatted three shots in the opening few minutes and ended the first quarter with four blocks. Behind Feldrappe's rim protection, Columbia forced three turnovers and logged five total blocks in the opening frame, holding the Wildcats to 35.3 percent shooting (6-of-17) to build an 18-15 lead.
"Shout out Hilke... I've loved playing with her," said Stevenson, who teamed up with Feldrappe inside. "She's an extremely smart player... I bring a lot of the physicality, and she brings a lot of the smarts, so we've been able to play off of each other. For her to be so defensively dominant in this game was a huge deal for us."
Columbia built its largest lead of the first half midway through the second quarter, putting together an 8-0 run over a 90-second span to go up 30-25 with 4:45 left and force a Davidson timeout. Henderson, who pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds to go with seven assists, sank two free throws with 7.9 seconds remaining to ensure the Lions took a 35-33 edge into the break. Weiss led Columbia with 11 first-half points, finishing the day with 18 points to tie Ula Lysniak for third on Columbia's all-time scoring list. Broom added 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting, supplying scoring alongside Stevenson's 20-point performance.
Stevenson credited her new teammates for helping her adjust quickly on the floor: "It's hard being a transfer, but for them to welcome me with open arms the way that they have... they believed in me, so it's pretty easy to believe in yourself."
Columbia outscored Davidson 44-40 in the paint while shooting 49.1 percent (28-of-57) from the floor and 91.7 percent (11-of-12) from the free-throw line. The Lions also swatted seven blocks and recorded 18 assists on 28 made field goals to earn the opening-day win.
The Lions head to Nashville, Tennessee, this Friday, Nov. 6, to start play in the Opening Statement tournament against Rhode Island. Tip-off at Curb Event Center is set for 6 p.m. ET.
FOLLOW THE LIONS
For the latest on Columbia women's basketball, follow @CULionsWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, or on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballTeam Stats
DC
CU
FG%
.417
.491
3FG%
.214
.444
FT%
.632
.917
RB
36
31
TO
11
12
STL
9
7
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
19
FGM
8
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
18
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Monday, November 02
Monday, November 02
Monday, November 02
Tuesday, September 08
