After a lackluster performance against State University of New York, Albany on Sunday, Columbia (1-3) takes on Long Island University (1-1) at the Wellness Center today. The Lions, still searching for their first true road victory, are coming off of the fewest points scored in a game since their low of 38 against St. John’s in 2005.

The Lions defeated LIU last season with a final score of 90-63. In that game, Columbia center Ben Nwachukwu was a force to be reckoned with, scoring 25 points with nine rebounds. With only one player taller than 6 feet 8 inches, the Lions may want to establish Nwachukwu down low. However, LIU may decide to go small as Albany did on Friday, a move that left the Lions in a difficult position.

LIU is coming off of an impressive win at Army on Friday. Despite shooting only 32.7 percent and giving up 17 turnovers, the LIU Blackbirds defeated the Black Knights, 64-54. LIU also shot poorly in its season opener against Notre Dame, going 18 for 65 and allowing the Irish to shoot 51.5 percent. Last season, the Blackbirds went 10-19 (6-12 NEC), and they are returning only two starters from last year—sophomore guard Jaytornah Wisseh and center Aurimas Adomaitis.

Wisseh and senior forward Eugene Kotorobai lead the Blackbirds this season. Ranked second on the team in points with 11.0 per contest, Wisseh leads the team in both rebounds, with 7.5 per game, and assists, with 4.0 per game. The 6-foot-1-inch guard started last season as a freshman. Kotorobai, another of last year’s part-time starters, has excelled from behind the arc this year. He is shooting 37.5 percent so far, en route to averaging 10.5 per contest in 30.5 minutes.

LIU has also had solid bench play this season. Both Kyle Johnson and Kellen Allen have seen more than 21 minutes off the bench in the two games this year. Johnson, a freshman guard, is averaging 12.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest and is shooting 60 percent from behind the line. Allen has averaged 11 points while grabbing 5.5 rebounds per contest.

For the Lions to repeat last year’s 90-63 trouncing of LIU, they must both shoot the ball and play perimeter defense more effectively. In Columbia’s four contests this season, they have shot just 31.8 percent from the field, with only two players, John Baumann and Joe Bova, shooting higher than 40 percent. The Lions need someone else to find the touch, as Nwachukwu and Niko Scott have struggled so far. The Light Blue also needs to establish more balanced scoring, with Baumann, Bova, Patrick Foley, and Mack Montgomery averaging a combined 76.6 percent of the team’s points this season. Furthermore, the Lions have allowed opponents to shoot 46.5 percent and average 64.5 points per contest. This shooting percentage must fall if the team hopes to contend for an Ivy title.

Past experience may give the Light Blue help in closing in on LIU. During the Ohio State and Delaware State games, Columbia looked comfortable switching from zone to man-to-man, forcing the Buckeyes and Hornets to take many perimeter shots. Since LIU has struggled offensively so far, the Lions must force the Blackbirds to shoot from the perimeter.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Brooklyn tonight.