The women’s basketball team (11-15, 5-8 Ivy) went 1-1 in two Ivy League games on the road last weekend, losing 70-44 to Columbia (21-5, 12-1) and defeating Cornell (7-19, 3-10) 38-36. Despite the loss, the Bears remain in fifth place in the Ivy League standings.
Bruno began their weekend tour at the Francis Levien Gymnasium in New York City, where they faced the Ivy League’s top-ranked team, the Columbia Lions, who have been nothing short of dominant this year.
Needless to say, Brown, who lost just weeks ago to Columbia by almost forty points, had a steep challenge in front of them entering the weekend.
On Friday, the Bears started slowly, scoring a measly four points in the first quarter with layups from Grace Arnolie ’26, who topped Brown’s offense with 15 points, and Gianna Aiello ’25. Columbia, on the other hand, found their offensive rhythm early, making shots from inside the paint and outside of the arc. The Lions were also aggressively crashing the glass, earning second-chance offensive opportunities that proved to be a difference maker.
Despite the Bears’ slow offensive start, they turned things around during the second quarter. Fueled by an eight-point quarter from Isabella Mauricio ’25, Brown put up 13 points. At half, Bruno was down 26-17.
The second half was characterized by the Bears’ lack of ball security. Up against a sizable lead, Brown lost the turnover battle by a debilitating 18 to 8 margin during the game, losing the steals battle 13-to-1. Columbia’s defensive aggression quashed any hope for a Brown comeback. Fueled by their defense, the Lions outscored the Bears by 10 points in the third quarter, grabbing a lofty 19-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
To the Bears’ dismay, the fourth quarter was more of the same as the Lions’ dynamic offense refused to slow down, outscoring the Bears 19 to 12 and handing Brown a devastating 70-44 loss.
Despite the rough game, the Bears were able to shake off Friday’s struggles and earn a hard-fought 38-36 win at the Newman Arena in Ithaca, New York against Cornell the following day.
“It’s got to come down to finding a way and really trusting our group,” said Head Coach Monique LeBlanc in a statement to Brown Athletics. “I thought they played tough and really gritty when it was tough to score.”
Led by Aiello, who secured her fourth career double-double with 15 points and 16 rebounds, the Bears showed supreme toughness and grit to outlast an energetic Cornell team.
In the first quarter, the Bears claimed an early lead, spearheaded by Aiello. Over the next five minutes, they pushed their advantage to 12-4. But as the first quarter wound to a close, Cornell’s offense exploded. In less than five minutes, the Big Red dropped 11 points, totaling 15 and claiming the lead heading into the second.
To the Bears’ credit, Cornell’s early offensive success did not deter them. In the second quarter, Brown approached the Big Red’s potent offense with tremendous aggression, limiting Cornell to just four points — the fewest points scored in a single quarter by either team that day — a remarkable defensive turnaround.
Simultaneously, the Bears maintained their offensive rhythm. At halftime, Brown held a narrow 21-19 lead over Cornell.
Coming out of the locker room, the Bears showed no signs of slowing down, emerging with a palpable energy that led to a quick three-pointer from Mauricio, followed by an acrobatic tip-in from Beth Nelson ’26.
Heading into the fourth quarter, the Bears held a 31-24 lead over Cornell.
Knocking down free throws, swatting opposing shots from Cornell and grabbing defensive rebounds, Aiello was nothing short of phenomenal.
“(Aiello) has really earned it in her career, and we trust her,” LeBlanc said in a statement to Brown Athletics. “She’s aggressive, and she’s an awesome teammate. She wants the ball and wants to be able to do anything she can to help the team.”
Aiello’s performance sustained Bruno’s lead despite some late offensive threats from Cornell. Even though they were outscored 12-7 in the final quarter, the Bears narrowly secured a 38-36 win.
Brown must now focus on facing their final opponent of the regular season, Yale (4-22, 3-10). The Bears will go toe-to-toe at the John Lee Amphitheater in New Haven, Connecticut on Saturday at 2 p.m. The contest will be streamed on ESPN+ and is sure to be a nail-biter.
Cooper Herman is a senior staff writer covering sports. He is a sophomore from Alexandria, Virginia studying Economics and International and Public Affairs.
