With less than three minutes of play halt, seniors Kitty Henderson and Cecelia Collins shook their eyes at the crowd at Levienne gymnasium.
This was that.
Their final bow in front of the crowd in their home.
The last time I played in Columbia was mostly in books.
Another program was first queued.
The seniors hugged each other, and a few teammates headed for the bench and eventually checked out the game.
Columbia spent the past two hours bullying Cornell, making the big red look smaller.
Collins had 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Henderson added 14 points and nine assists to easily lead the Lions to a 91-58 victory, winning Columbia for their first Ivy League regular season title.
The final horn in the game encountered the sound of a cannon on paper money, spraying blue and white paper onto the coat.
Friends, family and students stormed the court to participate in the team's celebrations as they blasted out from gym speakers saying, “Everything I do will win.”
These moments were what coach Megan Griffith hoped to take him to his alma mater when he took over the program in 2016.
“I don't know if that hit me yet,” Griffith said.
The Columbia Women's Basketball Program featured residency as a bottom-level team for the first 30 years of its existence.
The Lions had a single-digit victory season over their 10+ victory campaigns.
Griffith's early tenure was tough.
But recent success has been worth it.
Columbia is in the middle of a four-year stretch that is the best program ever.
The Lions won at least 22 games per season during this period.
“Sometimes, you just have to look up and say, 'Wow, these people really believe in what we're doing,” Griffith said. “And for me, it's very special. We're not only winning basketball games, but we're creating a community here.”
The Lions concluded the season with a 14-1 run and appear to be doomed once again for the big dance.
“There's nothing like that,” Collins said, taking in the happiness that swarmed her like a warm embrace. “I definitely feel like a mix of emotions…but it's not over yet. I'm trying to stop my tears, but there's much more to achieve.”
At the senior day ceremony before the match, Henderson pulled Griffiths in for a long embrace in the centre courtroom.
Over the past four years, Henderson has elevated Columbia and promoted it because the program didn't reach it.
The Lions appeared in their first NCAA tournament in 2024.
They have earned shares of at least three Straight Ivy League regular season titles.
Henderson is part of it, partly because of the coach who convinced her to move across the ocean away from home.
“I've always believed in Coach G's vision,” Henderson said. “I think I'm so grateful to see it come to life.”
But it's players like Henderson and Collins who helped Griffith make Columbia the budding Ivy Powerhouse.
Becoming a full regular season champion and winning a third consecutive share of the Lions' Ivy title checked the first box on Columbia's goal list this month.
“We have an unfinished business,” Henderson said. “This isn't the end, we have to continue. We're blessing today and working on the next thing tomorrow.”
Columbia will be number one in the Ivy League tournament, which will open on Friday.
The Lions play either brown or pen. Brown is tied down fourth in league standings. (The tiebreaker will be determined on Sunday, based on the online rankings.
The Lions have the opportunity to continue their first capture of the program, including an Ivy League tournament that Columbia has never won.
They also want to make noise at the NCAA tournament.
“This is not the ultimate goal,” Griffith gestured at the celebrations happening around her. “This is just a part of the journey, and I think we'll continue to climb as long as we can keep our focus on each part of our journey. We keep doing things. We're not maximizing our potential. I know that.”
