Kim: For men's basketball, these last two games should be about next year

Upper West Side NY

24 February, 2022

1:19 PM

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Columbia Daily Spectator BY MATTHEW KIM FEBRUARY 21, 2022 It has been a long season for Columbia men's basketball, to say the least. After an up-and-down preseason in which the Lions put together flashes, but rarely full games, of winning basketball, Columbia won its first Ivy League game in nearly two years on Jan. 8 against Penn. Since then, the Light Blue have spiraled, currently on a 10-game losing streak. Saturday's loss against Dartmouth was perhaps the lowest the Lions have fallen this season. Following a strong four minutes of opening play, the Lions looked lackadaisical for the final 36. There was little to no off-ball movement, defensive rotations were half-hearted, and securing rebounds was an afterthought at best. The style of play was so sloppy on all fronts that it felt more like a pickup game than Division I college basketball at times. For fans of Columbia basketball—and basketball in general—the game was not a pleasing watch. However, there is important context to consider, both for Saturday's game and the season as a whole. The Lions have gone much of the season without junior guard Eddie Turner III and senior forward Ike Nweke, who have played 19 games combined. Turner, who has not suited up since Jan. 22 due to medical reasons, is questionable to play in both of Columbia's final two games, and Nweke, who has been out since Feb. 5 with a separated shoulder, is not expected to see the court again this season, according to Engles. The loss of these two players has been a major blow, especially for a team lacking a reliable, end-of-shot-clock, turn-nothing-into-something creator. Despite the inconsistency of his jumpshot, Turner has shown an ability to get into the lane and create opportunities for himself and his teammates. The Lions' most polished post player, Nweke was having an All-Ivy-worthy campaign, averaging nearly 16 points per game on 52.9 percent field goal shooting. Without Turner and Nweke, offense has been hard to come by for Columbia. Sophomore forward Liam Murphy, who was making over two threes per game, has missed the Lions' last four matchups due to a broken finger, and sophomore forward Josh Odunowo has not played since Dec. 13 due to medical reasons. One of the Ivy League's best shooters, Murphy provided consistent floor spacing for the Lions. While not a threat on the perimeter, Odunowo was "an energy guy," according to Engles, doing all the little things that contribute to winning a basketball game. Other flu- and COVID-19-related absences have loomed over the Lions' season as well, resulting in 12 different starting lineups across 24 games. This lack of continuity can only be a detriment to a young squad trying to build team chemistry, which is critical in a conference like the Ivy League, where most players play for all four years of their college careers. With all of these lineup changes, players have also been thrust into challenging roles in their first seasons of college basketball. Winning a college basketball game is difficult even for veteran teams, let alone a team whose rotation primarily consists of players who spent last year playing high school ball or not playing at all. Succeeding on the court is especially difficult for new players in the Ancient Eight, who have to adjust not only to the physicality of collegiate basketball but also to the rigor of an Ivy League education. "This college stuff is new to us," first-year guard Jaden Cooper said after the Lions' loss against Yale last week. However, Cooper, alongside his other first-year teammates, has recently made strides in his game. The 6-foot-3 guard is averaging 8.8 points over his last five matchups. He has been shooting the ball with more confidence, knocking down nine of 13 threes during that stretch, and he has shown that he can be a strong if not impactful perimeter defender, which the Lions have been sorely lacking. Although it's not a game-changer, this stretch is emblematic of Cooper's growing confidence on the court. "He's way more comfortable now. I think that's happened over the last three or four weeks," Engles said after Saturday's loss at Dartmouth. Engles decided to play his young players heavy minutes against the Big Green, keeping them in the game through all of their mistakes. While this move resulted in the most lopsided loss in Ancient Eight play this season, it was probably the prudent long-term decision. The team's first-year and sophomore players have gotten valuable experience all season, but it seems that many of them have had short leashes. However, with the bottom seed officially locked in, the team is now playing with house money. The final two contests of the season—a road game at Brown and a home game against Cornell—present a unique opportunity for the young Lions, who will make up the core of the team for the years to come, to play freely and learn from their mistakes, just like Engles let them do on Saturday. If the Lions want to shore up their future play, these last two games should be about building for next year, not about improving to an at-best 3-11 conference record. What does that look like? For different players, it means different things. I hope to see Cooper looking to get to his mid-range shot and launching the three ball without hesitation. On the defensive end, I hope to see him look to guard the other team's best perimeter player. He certainly has the lateral quickness to be a pest on that end—now, it's about developing the right habits and mindset. I hope to see first-year guard Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa taking charge of the offense when things break down, which, quite frankly, happens a lot. Rubio De La Rosa has shown that he can be one of the best lead guards in the conference one day. At his best, he can score at all three levels and set his teammates up for easy baskets. I also hope to see first-year forward Robbie Stankard crashing the boards and playing physically down low, even if it means getting knocked down to the ground. He can be a legitimate difference maker at the five with his outside shooting, but he will need to get used to the physicality of the position first. The list goes on. My point is that with four starters likely still out and nothing left to play for, the rest of the season should be played with next year in mind. My belief is that the team has suffered not from a lack of talent but rather from the turmoil caused by its countless player absences coupled with its lack of experience. These young players are Columbia basketball's future. I hope they use these final two contests to build confidence in their games and figure out what it takes to compete at this level. It may not be pretty, but it will hopefully pay dividends in the long run. Senior staff writer Matt Kim can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @matt_kim9. Founded in 1877, the Columbia Daily Spectator is the independent undergraduate newspaper of Columbia University, serving thousands of readers in Morningside Heights, West Harlem, and beyond. Read more at columbiaspectator.com and donate here.