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NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The Cornell men's basketball team couldn't get an offensive rhythm going and Columbia did just enough against a stout Big Red defense to pull out a 61-56 victory on Saturday evening at Levien Gymnasium. Columbia improved to 12-7 (1-2 Ivy), while Cornell slipped to 6-11 (1-2 Ivy) with the loss.

Senior Chris Wroblewski led the Big Red with 14 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals, while Drew Ferry (13 points) and Johnathan Gray (12 points) also reached double figures in scoring. Cornell allowed Columbia to shoot just 39.6 percent from the floor in the loss, including 29 percent from 3-point range (4-of-14), but struggled shooting the ball plenty itself. The Big Red made just 34 percent of its shots overall, including just 4-of-19 from beyond the arc for 21 percent.

Mark Cisco had a dominant night in the post for the Lions with 18 points, 20 rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. Meiko Lyles added 15 points and Brian Barbour notched 14. Columbia held a decisive 45-29 advantage on the glass and overcame 18 turnovers.

Columbia jumped out to a 6-0 lead, held the Big Red scoreless for the first 5:20 and never trailed, though it would never put the Big Red away. With Cisco dominating the glass, grabbing 11 offensive rebounds (including five offensive boards), the Lions led by as many as seven. Consecutive 3-pointers by Ferry and Gray late in the half got the Big Red within three with under a minute to play in the half, but Lyles got free for a layup to send the home team into the break leading 27-22.

Alex Rosenberg scored right out of the gates to push the Lions back out to a seven-point lead before the Big Red's pressure defense took hold. A driving layup by Ferry and a steal by Wroblewski that led to a runout layup by his senior co-captain got Cornell within 29-26. Columbia was forced to burn a timeout.

Cornell was able to pull within one twice with around 13 minutes to play, both times on free throws by Wroblewski to make it 35-34 and again at 37-36. Columbia answered that challenge by going on a 7-0 run to boost the edge back to eight. The home team would extend the advantage to as many as 10, the last time with six minutes remaining.

Four points in the final 32 seconds by Wroblewski gave the Big Red opportunities to get back in the game, cutting the contest to 58-56 after the senior hit a jumper with 15 seconds. Despite being double teamed, Columbia's Barbour was able to get the inbounds pass and the 90 percent free throw shooter cased in to make it a two possession game. Wroblewski then missed a 3-pointer that would have cut it to one, and the Lions were able to hold on to the win.

The same two teams will go back at it on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. at Newman Arena.