In this Ivy League encounter, Dartmouth Big Green (5-15, 1-6 Ivy League) faces off against the Columbia Lions (12-8, 3-4 Ivy) in a crucial matchup. Dartmouth, aiming to climb from their eighth place in the league, confronts Columbia, currently fourth, with both teams looking to improve their standings. The game, set to unfold on ESPN+ on February 16 at 6:00 PM, promises to be a riveting clash.
Dartmouth Big Green, positioned eighth in the Ivy League with a 5-15 overall and 1-6 conference record, faces a significant challenge as they match up against Columbia. The team's struggle is evident in their offensive and defensive stats, managing only 60.2 points per game with a shooting accuracy of 39.6% from the field and a particularly concerning 28.2% from the three-point line. Their free-throw percentage stands at 70.3, and they gather 33.9 total rebounds per game. On the defensive end, Dartmouth allows opponents to score 69.5 points per game, with opposing teams shooting 44.3% from the field and 34.4% from beyond the arc.
A recent game against Harvard ended in a 77-59 road defeat, underscoring the Big Green's ongoing challenges. Des pite these struggles, team leaders like Dusan Neskovic, averaging 14.9 points per game, alongside Jackson Munro and Brandon Mitchell-Day, who lead in assists and rebounds respectively, show the team's potential. Neskovic's role is crucial, but with a team shooting poorly from the field and beyond the arc, Dartmouth's path to victory requires a significant improvement in offensive execution and defensive resilience.
Despite these challenges, Dartmouth's home performance against Brown, securing a 75-71 victory, highlights their potential when their offense clicks, and they manage to control the game's pace. Their ability to turn the tide rests on enhancing their shooting efficiency, reducing turnovers, and leveraging their key players' strengths. The Big Green's ability to compete against Columbia hinges on tightening their defense to mitigate their rebounding deficit and capitalizing on scoring opportunities to upset the Lions' rhythm.