A Valentine’s Day miracle: Quakers notch last-second victory against Columbia

Never doubt the Quakers. 

After falling to Columbia (14-9, 3-6 Ivy) by five points in New York two weeks ago, the Quakers (12-10, 5-4) were incensed to break the Ivy League’s four-way tie for third place with a victory. 

The Red and Blue entered the game with strong momentum after last week’s victory against Princeton – the Quakers’ first in eight years. Meanwhile, the Lions were looking to prove themselves after a 21-point loss against Cornell last weekend.

Although Penn trailed for much of the game, a critical late-game rally led by senior guard/forward Ethan Roberts evened the odds. 

“There’s going to be so many ups and downs in the game,” sophomore guard AJ Levine said of the Quakers’ perseverance. “There’s going to be times where they hit a couple hard shots and we have a defensive lapse. But it’s all about our response. It’s all about how we come together from that stuff, show our positive energy, and just keep jumping as a team.”

Here’s how the Quakers followed up on their first-half falters with a last-second win. 

Quakers played catch-up as the Lions control the court 

The Penn Band’s rendition of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” theme during an early Columbia timeout set the tone for the first half. An early jumper from senior forward Michael Zanoni was reminiscent of Jack Sparrow’s swashbuckling — quick, precise, and integral to notching the Quakers an early 3-2 lead.

But the Lions wouldn’t give up so easily, responding with a three and holding the lead for most of the game.

Over the first half, Columbia constantly counter-attacked Penn’s full press defense with strategic ball movement, passing from player to player before attempting to score. When pressed, the Lions responded aggressively, sending the Quakers to the floor while fueling their momentum. 

The Red and Blue attempted to respond with layups and buckets, but short shooting uncharacteristically ran rampant on the home court. When the first half closed, the Quakers shot 40.63% from the paint and 40% from beyond the arc. The Lions displayed an impressive 56% accuracy from the field and shot 62.5% from downtown. 

Late game rally turned the tide 

Junior forward TJ Power opened the half with a three as the Quakers hoped to take the lead for the first time in twenty minutes, but a layup from Columbia guard Kenny Noland widened the gap once again. 

Levine entered the second half with new shoes and a new attitude, directing the court with ease while firing up his fellow players. After Columbia brought the lead to double digits, Levine led an impressive 8-0 Quaker run to close the lead to one possession. 

The Lions’ precise ball control was noticeably weaker in the second half as a stray ball hit a woman on the sidelines not once, but twice. Their pinpoint physical aggression grew sloppy as well, losing starter guard Miles Franklin to excessive personal fouls while forwards Mason Ritter and Ryan Soulis barely avoided disqualification with four personal fouls combined. 

After a trip to the free-throw line with five minutes left on the half, Roberts landed a shot from downtown to notch the Quakers their first lead of the game since the first minutes of play. Roberts scored 21 points on the night, with 15 points during the second half, propelling the Quakers to take advantage of consistent fouling from the Lions.

Three Quakers were sent to the free throw line with less than twenty seconds on the clock as the Lions abandoned strategic play for a desperate defense, ultimately sealing the deal. The Quakers’ defensive capabilities notably improved on the half as well, limiting the Lions to 41.38% accuracy from the paint and 21.43% accuracy from the deep. 

“I kind of came in at a good time,” Roberts said of the late-game comeback. “These guys really got us back in the game. I was out. All our credit goes to them.”

The Quakers will return to the Palestra on Valentine’s Day in a battle for third place in the Ivy League against Cornell.