Penn-Columbia preview: Quakers take on downtrodden Lions
The Quakers enter this weekend in a first place tie with Harvard with six games remaining.
Penn (17-7, 7-1 Ivy League) at Columbia (6-15, 3-5)
Friday, 7 p.m., Levien Gym (New York, N.Y.)
TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: WNPT-AM 990
Livestream: http://www.ivyleaguenetwork.com/ivyleague/game/ncaa-mens-basketball-penn-at-columbia-on-02162018?_ga=2.137063728.1889803467.1518111848-1207816715.1516731156
Coaches: Penn, Steve Donahue (3rd season, 41-39; overall, 241-253); Columbia, Jim Engles (2nd season, 17-31; overall, 127-140)
Series: Penn leads, 141-91.
Last meeting: Sophomore forward AJ Brodeur scored 30 points and 6-5 sophomore Ryan Betley added 20 as Penn beat Columbia, 77-71 on Jan. 13 at the Palestra
The latest: With six games left Penn and Harvard are tied for first in the Ivy League, three games up on both Brown and Yale. … The Quakers saw their five-game win streak end with Saturday's 76-67 loss at Harvard. … Betley averages a team-high 14.7 points for the Quakers. … Penn has lost its last five games at Levien Gym and seven of the last eight. … Columbia 5-foot-11 sophomore Mike Smith is averaging a team-high 17.3 points, which is fourth in the Ivy League. … The Lions' last four losses have been by six or fewer points, including Saturday's 91-88 overtime loss at Brown. … In the loss to Brown, the Lions had three players score 20 or more points, led by Smith's 22.
-Marc Narducci