Columbia University’s men’s basketball team secured a 90-82 win against North Florida on Sunday at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. The victory marks the team’s penultimate non-conference game of the season.
Kenny Noland led Columbia with 27 points, matching his career-high, and shot 9-of-15 from the field. Miles Franklin also set a personal best with 19 points and tied his career-high by grabbing seven rebounds. Blair Thompson contributed 12 points, while Ryan Soulis added 11 to round out the team’s double-digit scorers.
The game remained close through much of the second half. A late 7-0 run allowed Columbia to pull ahead decisively. Noland made the front end of a one-and-one free throw opportunity with just over three minutes remaining, missed the second but recovered his own rebound. Franklin then scored on that possession to put Columbia up 73-69. With two minutes left, Soulis assisted Noland for a layup, extending the lead to eight.
Franklin converted four free throws in the final minute, helping secure the win as North Florida was unable to cut the deficit below five points in that span.
North Florida opened with a 7-0 run, but Noland responded by scoring Columbia’s first eight points. The Lions trailed 12-8 at the first media timeout but went ahead following a 10-0 spurt and eventually led by as many as nine in the first half after Thompson’s three-pointer made it 30-21.
The opening half saw eight lead changes and five ties. Franklin hit a jumper with less than half a minute left before halftime, leaving Columbia trailing by one at intermission.
During the second half’s first ten minutes, neither team led by more than two possessions until Gerard O’Keefe made a jumper followed by a three-pointer from Noland, giving Columbia a 68-60 lead with just over nine minutes remaining.
Columbia (10-3) will play its final non-conference game at home on Wednesday at Schiller Court in Levien Gymnasium. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m., and tickets are available for purchase online.
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