Preview: Harvard Looks to Upset Hot Columbia in Ivy League Showdown

NEW YORK (Interstat) — A surging Columbia men’s basketball team will look to protect its home court and solidify its strong start to the season when it hosts Harvard in an Ivy League matchup Saturday at Levien Gymnasium.

The Lions (12-3) enter conference play as one of the league’s hottest teams, having won nine of their last 10 games. Their most recent outing was an offensive showcase, a 104-99 road victory at Cornell on Monday. Columbia’s attack is powered by junior guard Blair Thompson, who dropped 26 points in that win and is averaging 15.2 points per game over his last five contests.

Harvard (7-8), meanwhile, seeks consistency after a 76-68 home loss to Dartmouth on Monday snapped a brief two-game winning streak. The Crimson have struggled on the road this season, posting a 2-5 record away from Cambridge.

A key matchup will feature Harvard’s Thomas Batties against Columbia’s backcourt. Batties, a versatile guard, is coming off a 22-point, 7-rebound performance in a win at Colgate but was held to eight points in the loss to Dartmouth. His ability to facilitate and score will be critical for a Harvard offense that averages 69.9 points per game, nearly 10 points fewer than Columbia’s 79.5 average.

The Lions have been dominant at Levien Gym, boasting a perfect 7-0 home record this season. Their defense has held opponents to 40.8% shooting from the field, which will challenge a Crimson squad shooting 44.1% overall.

Columbia’s depth beyond Thompson is a strength, with Kenny Noland (23 points vs. Cornell) and Hampton Sanders (17 points vs. Cornell) providing significant scoring punch. Harvard will counter with Austin Hunt and Robert Hinton, who each scored 16 points in the Dartmouth game.

This contest opens the Ivy League schedule for both teams. Columbia, picked to finish near the top of the conference in preseason polls, aims to validate its strong non-conference record. Harvard hopes to spring an early road upset and build momentum before returning home next weekend to host Princeton and Penn.

Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026.