For slumping Lions, bigger is definitely better

When Columbia takes the floor tonight at the Palestra, it will be clear to even the casual basketball fan who its anchors are.

This is a squad that runs through its big men.

Juniors Ben Nwachukwu and John Baumann man the middle for the Lions (13-9, 4-4 Ivy), and stand as the top two leaders in floor time in coach Joe Jones' deep rotation.

But despite the presence of these two Goliaths - at 6-foot-9 and 6-8, respectively, they're huge by Ivy League standards - the Lions have come out a bit flat this season, and must get some help if they want any chance at a league title.

And Penn forward Mark Zoller knows the Quakers (15-8, 6-1) will have to go right at them if they want to keep them out of the race and replicate Penn's 69-43 win in New York earlier this year.

"I think we're going to try to post up . and try to get the ball inside, get them in foul trouble." Zoller said. "We want to get deep into their bench and make their bench play."

With 11 players averaging over 10 minutes per game, Jones won't hesitate to do this even if Nwachukwu and Baumann avoid foul trouble.

So far this season, the bigs have dictated the way the game has gone for the Lions.

While Baumann puts up 13.1 points per game - good for eighth in the league - he has had averaged under nine per contest in Columbia losses.

Nwachukwu, meanwhile, has fallen off his 9.0 scoring pace during the Ivy season, putting up just 6.3 per game, including a goose egg in the Lions' four-point loss to Cornell last month.

Columbia's gruesome twosome combined for 25 points against the Quakers last month and Penn coach Glen Miller is well aware of the weapons Columbia has down low.

"We've got to be mindful of that," Miller said of Baumann and Nwachukwu. "We've got to be able to play post defense probably better than we did at Columbia the first outing."

The Lions also have a healthy arsenal of perimeter players to provide some offensive balance. Guards Niko Scott, Brett Loscalzo and K.J. Matsui each average more than a trifecta per game, and point guard Patrick Foley provides 21.4 minutes off the bench as Columbia's third scoring option.

With a seemingly never-ending list of capable players, Columbia will likely do as it has all season and sub its men in and out constantly. Miller may have to do the same to keep up.

In its last outing against the Lions, Penn got 18 points and 57 minutes out of its bench. Zoller believes the game plan this time around shouldn't be too much different.

"Our bench played really well that whole weekend," Zoller said. "I think that's definitely going to be a key aspect. We're going to need people to come off the bench and make plays for us."

But Miller thinks the solution may be even simpler.

Until the onset of Penn's Ancient Eight slate, the Quakers' defense had been consistently subpar, and Miller rarely failed to harp on it. Recently, however, the Red and Blue have been a little stingier and played tougher against weaker Ivy opponents.

"We just have to have a good team defensive game," Miller said. "I think anytime - it doesn't matter who you're playing - if there's a strength in the perimeter or in the post it takes a good defensive effort to stop those types of players.

"If you don't have any help, you're going to be in some difficulty."

In a defining weekend for Columbia, the Lions must feel the same way.

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