Dartmouth Can’t Overcome Early Hole, Fall 73-63 at Columbia

Friday, February 16

New York, N.Y. / Levien Gymnasium

7:00 PM

Dartmouth College

5-16,1-7Ivy League

Columbia

13-8,4-4Ivy League

Dartmouth

Columbia

Photo by: Justin Lafleur

Dartmouth Can’t Overcome Early Hole, Fall 73-63 at Columbia

2/16/2024 11:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

After trailing 30-9, the Big Green outscored the Lions 54-43, but the early hole proved too much to overcome

By: Justin Lafleur

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Four Big Green players scored in double figures, but an early 10-0 hole proved to be the difference as the Dartmouth men's basketball team dropped a 73-63 final at Columbia on Friday evening at Levien Gym. Trailing by as many as 21, Dartmouth chipped away to get as close as nine in the second half, but it was too little, too late. Senior Dusan Neskovic led the Big Green offensively with 18 points and seven rebounds while sophomore Jackson Munro finished two rebounds shy of his first-career double-double, posting 10 points and eight rebounds.

With the win, Columbia improves to 13-8 and 4-4 in the Ivy League. Dartmouth falls to 5-16 and 1-7.

"I thought we executed some good things in the beginning of the game. We missed some shots in the paint, and I think that affected our confidence a little bit," said Big Green head coach David McLaughlin. "We had three early turnovers where we didn't take care of the ball… simple plays. Columbia made their first three or four shots and we got rattled a little bit. Even though we were playing hard, we didn't finish plays, which I thought really impacted us."

Munro's eight rebounds tied a career high. Junior Romeo Myrthil sored 11 points, his second double-figure scoring game of the season. Senior Jaren Johnson netted 11 as well, his second straight game in double figures, to go with a team-high four assists.

Columbia knocked down 11-of-19 3-pointers for the game, which proved critical, as the Big Green held the Lions to just 14-of-39 shooting on 2-pointers. Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa led the charge with 25 points, converting 5-of-7 from 3-point range. Zavian McLean knocked down 3-of-4 from distance to add 15 points.

The Lions opened leads of 10-0 and 14-2 before Dartmouth's first field goal, a Neskovic offensive rebound and putback just over four minutes into the game. A Johnson jumper in the paint pulled the Big Green within 14-6 with 15:12 on the first-half clock, but would be Dartmouth's final field goal until the 8:42 mark. In that stretch of 6:30, Columbia staged an 11-1 run to take a 25-7 advantage, a lead that swelled to 21 at 30-9.

The Big Green responded with a 7-0 surge behind a Munro 3-pointer, Johnson layup and Neskovic step back jumper to pull within 30-16. A Neskovic 3-pointer got Dartmouth within 32-21 with 4:27 left in the first half, but Columbia scored the final five points of the stanza to take a 42-25 halftime lead.

Neskovic 3-pointer makes it a 12-2 run to cut the Big Green deficit from 21 to 11.

Watch on @ESPNPlus: https://t.co/6dHe3ps4h4 #TheWoods🌲 | #GoBigGreen pic.twitter.com/6oScFZIABT
— Dartmouth Men's Basketball (@DartmouthMBB) February 17, 2024

Points, especially 3-pointers, were aplenty to begin the second half for both sides. The Big Green outscored Columbia 15-14 over the first six minutes, with Dartmouth connecting on a trio of threes, the last from sophomore Jayden Williams to pull within 53-40. But the Lions again answered as De La Rosa hit a trey 53 seconds later, Columbia's fourth in the first six minutes.

It's raining threes as this Williams trey got the Big Green within 13 before a Columbia three has the Lions up 16. Dartmouth is now 5-of-9 from three. Lions are 9-of-13.

Watch the second half on @ESPNPlus: https://t.co/6dHe3psC6C #TheWoods🌲 | #GoBigGreen pic.twitter.com/95LGtxAB71
— Dartmouth Men's Basketball (@DartmouthMBB) February 17, 2024

Dartmouth just wouldn't go away, but Columbia was always able to keep some separation. A Myrthil driving layup pulled the Big Green within 61-49 with 6:24 on the clock, but the Lions immediately answered with the next seven points. Dartmouth then chipped away again, pulling within 11, 69-58, after a Johnson turnaround jumper with 2:27 remaining. Despite Dartmouth's press causing some havoc in the final few minutes, the Big Green couldn't get any closer than nine.

Myrthil gets the Big Green as close as they've been since the early stages of this game, but time is running out.

Watch on @ESPNPlus: https://t.co/6dHe3psC6C #TheWoods🌲 | #GoBigGreen pic.twitter.com/FK8wYjnDFs
— Dartmouth Men's Basketball (@DartmouthMBB) February 17, 2024

"When we made a run and we needed to cut it to seven or six, we missed those shots," said McLaughlin. "When you find yourself down 10 early and down at halftime, you don't have to pitch a perfect game in the second half, but things really have to go your way."

For the game, Dartmouth shot 41.4 percent from the floor (24-of-58), including 38.5 percent from 3-point range (5-of-13). Columbia shot 43.1 percent (25-of-58) and 57.9 percent from behind the arc (11-of-19). The Big Green finished with a 40-33 edge on the glass.

Dartmouth returns to action at Cornell on Saturday evening. Opening tipoff in Ithaca is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.

"Moving forward, our values that we talk about have to be values of conviction right now," said McLaughlin. "We've got to really believe in us as a group. We have to be ready with a positive mindset to attack tomorrow and be ready to support each other."