Pennsylvania Clinches Berth in NCAA Field

Pennsylvania became the first team to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament, getting 26 points from Ibrahim Jabbar and 24 from Tim Begley in an 80-72 victory over Columbia on Saturday night that clinched the Ivy League title.

Pennsylvania, which improved to 17-8 overall and 10-1, won the Ivy League for the fifth time since 1999 and still has three league games left.

Freshman John Baumann scored seven points in the last three minutes and finished with 17 for Columbia (12-13, 3-9), which lost its eighth straight game.

Steve Danley’s layup with three seconds left in the first half broke the last tie in the game and gave the Quakers a 35-33 lead at the break.

Penn then scored 22 of the first 26 points in the second half, building a 20-point lead with 9:39 left. Jan Fikiel, who finished with 14 points, scored eight in the run.

Penn held a 16-point lead with 2:59 remaining, when Baumann led a late flurry that drew the Lions within 79-71 with 28.1 seconds left.