Columbia loses to West Virginia in NCAA Tournament

Columbia's hopes for a successful March Madness came to an end on Saturday. The Lions, seeded 11th, faced a tough matchup against 6th-seeded West Virginia. They lost decisively, with a final score of 78-59 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Columbia had high expectations after setting a goal to reach the Sweet 16. Last year, they lost in the First Four but managed to win that game this year. A strong comeback from their game against Washington helped them advance. Unfortunately, their momentum did not carry into this round. In the first quarter, Columbia struggled significantly. They committed 11 turnovers and went through a scoring drought that lasted four minutes. By halftime, West Virginia had built a 17-point lead, showing strong defensive pressure. Leading the Lions were Riley Weiss and Cecelia Collins, who each scored 14 points. Kitty Henderson contributed 11 points and nine rebounds. However, Columbia faced difficulties, with a total of 25 turnovers and being outscored in the paint by 28 points. Columbia will lose two important players, Henderson and Collins, to graduation. Henderson leaves as the winningest player in program history. Despite the loss, Coach Megan Griffith remains optimistic about the team's future, especially with players like Weiss and potential star Perri Page returning next season.