By J.J. Pavlick | West Harlem, NY | March 19, 2026
The crowd was small inside the 2,700‑seat Levien Gymnasium, but Columbia made the building feel like a cauldron. In a WBIT opening‑round matchup that turned into a full‑scale dismantling, Ivy League runner‑up Columbia (20–8, 11–3) obliterated Big East fifth‑place St. John’s (22–11, 11–9) 74–26, handing the Red Storm their worst loss of the season — and one of the worst in program history.
St. John’s arrived shorthanded, dressing only eight players. When asked postgame about the absences of Jailah Donald, Shaulana Wagner, and Beautiful Waheed, head coach Joe Tartamella said only, “We’ve had an interesting week of illness and injury… I’m not going to get into why they’re not here.”
Whatever the reason, the Johnnies never found their footing. Columbia made sure of that. St. John’s left the city with far more questions than answers and a whirlwind of speculation about what players will be back and what truly happened with Jailah Daniels, Shaulana Wagner, and Beautiful Waheed. The rumor mills will surely be in overdrive until someone is willing to disclose what happened in Connecticut and on campus at St. John’s.
Lions Roar Early
Columbia opened the game with a 6–0 run, immediately forcing St. John’s into rushed shots and panicked passes. The Red Storm didn’t score until the 6:35 mark — and even that bucket barely registered before Columbia punched back.
Head coach Megan Griffith said afterward that her team had “turned a page” after a rough two‑week stretch, adding, “It’s a new season and a new opportunity… a dominant performance on both sides of the ball.”
Columbia University Women’s Basketball head coach Megan Griffith watches from the sideline during the Lions’ WBIT opening‑round win over St. John’s. Mandatory Credit: Columbia University Athletics
Her players backed that up. Paige, who blew up St. John’s passing lanes all night, said the Lions’ early surge came from preparation: “We understood the scout. We knew their tendencies. It was about reading actions and being ready.”
Columbia pushed the lead to 13–2, then 20–4, then 42–18 at halftime. St. John’s shot 26.1% from the field, 5.0% from three, and turned it over 14 times before the break. They looked stunned. Columbia looked hungry.
Woes Continue
The second quarter brought no relief. Columbia’s defense suffocated St. John’s, jumping on predictable actions and beating them to every loose ball. The Lions said they came into the game determined to reclaim their identity after losing the “toughness battle” in recent outings.
“We talked a lot about 50‑50 balls and rebounds,” Perri Page said. “Today we responded.”
Columbia University Women’s Basketball guard/forward Perri Page signals a play while bringing the ball up the floor during the Lions’ dominant WBIT win over St. John’s. Mandatory Credit: Columbia University Athletics
St. John’s briefly stopped the bleeding with an Ariel Little deep three — they only made three of the night — but Columbia immediately countered. Every time the Red Storm blinked, the Lions were already scoring at the other end.
Tartamella admitted afterward, “We struggled to find rhythm from the jump… hoping we could create some energy going into the second half — really didn’t do it.”
By halftime, Columbia led 42–18. The Red Storm walked into the locker room with more questions than points.
The scoreboard at Levien Gymnasium shows Columbia surging ahead 39–18 late in the second quarter during the Lions’ dominant WBIT opening‑round win over St. John’s. Mandatory Credit: J.J. Pavlick/ Bad Dawg Sports
So Many Questions, So Few Points
The third quarter was a continuation of the nightmare. Columbia opened on an 8–2 run, pushing the lead to 50–20. St. John’s shooting cratered — 12‑for‑46 from the field, 1‑for‑20 from three, and 1‑for‑3 at the line — and the turnovers kept piling up. St. John’s scored just four points in three of the four quarters, and four points was already their lowest‑scoring quarter of the entire season. Tonight, they matched that season low three separate times. Columbia’s defense didn’t just force mistakes; it devoured them, turning 17 steals into 28 points off turnovers and dominating the toughness categories the Lions said they targeted all week.
Columbia also owned the glass, grabbing 41 rebounds, including 17 offensive boards, and outscoring St. John’s 42–20 in the paint. The Lions dictated every possession, every tempo shift, every loose ball.
By the end of the third, it was 62–22. The game was over. The only question left was how deep the wound would go.
Lions Finish Off Johnnies
Columbia didn’t let up. They pushed the lead to 70–24 with 3:27 left, and their largest lead — 48 points — came with 1:46 remaining. St. John’s finished with more turnovers (27) than points (26), a stat Tartamella could only shake his head at.
Senior forward Kylie LaVelle, who battled through the chaos, reflected on the season: “We accomplished a lot as a team. We got to where we wanted — the postseason. It’s just not the ending we wanted.”
St. John’s senior forward Kylie LaVelle steps to the line to complete an and‑one during the Red Storm’s WBIT opening‑round matchup against Columbia. Mandatory Credit: Cassandra Casiero/Bad Dawg Sports
On the game itself, she was blunt: “We never found rhythm. Shots weren’t falling. We never got momentum.”
Columbia walked off the floor with momentum, identity, and swagger. St. John’s walked off in silence.
Columbia’s Mindset: A Team Reborn
Griffith said the Lions’ transformation began earlier in the week.
“I’d lie if I said it was easy to turn the page,” she admitted. “But we all accepted our parts — players and staff — and committed to doing this.”
Her players echoed that shift.
“This win drives us forward and creates momentum,” one said. “We didn’t expect to be in this tournament, but it’s a new journey. We’re stepping into new roles and taking space.”
Griffith said this was the first time all season the team felt player‑led, not coach‑driven.
“The best teams I’ve had here have been player‑led. Tonight was the first look at that.”
On nearly matching UConn’s blowouts of St. John’s, Griffith kept the focus internal:
“I’m proud of our team for keeping it about us — our goals, our mission. We dominated every facet we asked them to.”
St. John’s sophomore guard Janeya Grant holds her follow‑through and admires her shot from the sideline during the Red Storm’s WBIT opening‑round matchup against Columbia. Mandatory Credit: Cassandra Casiero/Bad Dawg Sports
Columbia Lions guard Riley Weiss elevates for a long‑range jumper over the St. John’s defense on her way to a 24‑point performance in the WBIT opening‑round win. Mandatory Credit: Columbia University Athletics
St. John’s guard Brooke Moore scans the floor while dribbling during the Red Storm’s WBIT opening‑round matchup against Columbia. Moore finished 0‑for‑10 from the field and 0‑for‑6 from deep in a difficult shooting performance. Mandatory Credit: Cassandra Casiero/Bad Dawg Sports
St. John’s sophomore forward Sa’Mya Wyatt goes up for a jumper in the paint during the Red Storm’s WBIT opening‑round matchup against Columbia. Mandatory Credit: Cassandra Casiero/Bad Dawg Sports
St. John’s redshirt junior forward Daniela Abies drives hard to the basket during the Red Storm’s WBIT opening‑round matchup against Columbia. Mandatory Credit: Cassandra Casiero/Bad Dawg Sports
St. John’s sophomore guard from Brooklyn, NY drains a deep three‑pointer as the shot clock expires during the Red Storm’s WBIT opening‑round matchup against Columbia. Mandatory Credit: Cassandra Casiero/Bad Dawg Sports
Stats That Tell the Story
Final Score: Columbia 74, St. John’s 26
Field Goals: Columbia 30–64 (46.9%), St. John’s 12–46 (26.1%)
Three‑Pointers: Columbia 7–21 (33.3%), St. John’s 1–20 (5.0%)
Rebounds: Columbia 41, St. John’s 28
Offensive Rebounds: Columbia 17, St. John’s 10
Turnovers: Columbia 12, St. John’s 27
Steals: Columbia 17, St. John’s 6
Points Off Turnovers: Columbia 28, St. John’s 0
Points in the Paint: Columbia 42, St. John’s 20
Fastbreak Points: Columbia 13, St. John’s 0
Bench Points: Columbia 14, St. John’s 5
Largest Lead: Columbia +48
What This Means
Columbia didn’t just win — they announced themselves. A team that stumbled late in the Ivy League suddenly looks reborn: player‑led, defensively locked‑in, emotionally aligned, and hungry.
St. John’s, meanwhile, ends a season defined by resilience with a night defined by collapse. Missing players, cold shooting, the inability to handle a stifling half-court press, and a lack of rhythm turned a postseason opportunity into a long, painful walk back to Queens.
Columbia walked into their West Harlem home with purpose and walked out with a statement. St. John’s walked in shorthanded and walked out searching for answers, and their season was over.
The Lions move on, the Johnnies go home. Now the WBIT just found its newest problem team in Columbia, who sent a huge message to the rest of the field today, that Ivy League basketball can ball with the big dawgs.
