NEW YORK (Interstat) — A dominant opening quarter and a standout double-double from Fliss Henderson propelled the Columbia women’s basketball team to a 68-52 victory over Brown in an Ivy League contest Monday afternoon at Levien Gymnasium.

The Lions, improving to 12-5 overall, seized control immediately, outscoring the Bears 24-10 in the first period. That early burst created a deficit Brown could never overcome, despite a game-high 21 points from Grace Arnolie.

Columbia’s first-quarter onslaught was comprehensive. Perri Page opened the scoring with a layup just over 20 seconds in, and Riley Weiss followed with a 3-pointer off a steal. The Lions’ defense forced five Brown turnovers in the frame, converting them into easy transition opportunities. Henderson, a 5-foot-11 guard from North Curl Curl, Australia, capped the period with a putback layup in the final minute to establish the 14-point advantage.

The most important part of the game was Columbia’s initial defensive intensity and offensive execution, which effectively decided the contest before it was ten minutes old. Brown, which fell to 11-5, never got closer than eight points the rest of the way. The Bears chipped the lead down to 34-26 late in the second quarter after a 3-pointer from Elizabeth Nelson, but Columbia responded with a 7-0 run to start the third quarter and extinguish any momentum.

Henderson was the catalyst throughout, finishing with 14 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. Her all-around performance anchored the Lions, especially during a third quarter where Brown threatened to make a run. Mia Broom added 14 points for Columbia, while Weiss contributed 15 points and seven rebounds. Page provided a significant spark off the bench with 13 points, five rebounds and two blocks.

For Brown, Arnolie, a sophomore from Vienna, Virginia, shouldered the offensive load, playing 36 minutes. Alyssa Moreland recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Ada Anamekwe added eight points, eight rebounds and two blocks. The Bears’ offense, however, was plagued by 21 turnovers, which Columbia converted into 23 points.

After its explosive start, Columbia’s offense cooled but was never truly challenged. The Lions led 34-24 at halftime and 51-39 after three quarters. Every time Brown strung together a few baskets, Columbia answered, often through Henderson’s playmaking or the interior presence of Page.

The Lions’ defense held Brown to just 34% shooting from the field. Columbia also controlled the glass, outrebounding the Bears 45-36, with 17 of those boards coming on the offensive end leading to 18 second-chance points.

A crowd of 1,605 watched the Lions win their second straight conference game following a victory over Yale on Saturday. Brown saw a three-game winning streak snapped.

Interstat’s ELO system had projected Columbia with a 95.6% probability to win.

Columbia next hosts Dartmouth on Saturday. Brown returns home to face Princeton the same day. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in Providence on Feb. 28.