Spirited Crowd Turns Out for Annual Deans' Cup Charity Basketball Game
More than 400 Columbia Law School Students, Faculty, Staff, and Other Fans Cheered on the Lions Against NYU School of Law in the 14th Annual Deans' Cup, Which Raises Money for Public Interest Programs at Both Schools
New York, April 2, 2015—Cheering fans waving blue and white pom-poms came out in force to support Columbia Law School as their team took on NYU School of Law in the 14th annual Deans’ Cup basketball game, which raises money for public interest programs at both schools.
Despite a valiant effort, the Columbia Law School Lions came up short against NYU’s Violets—who enjoyed home-court advantage at Jerome S. Coles Sports Center—with a final score of 85-80.
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| Sandeep S. Dhaliwal '16, left, drives to the basket during a game that drew a lively crowd of Columbia Law School students, faculty, and staff. |
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| Loretta A. Johnson '16, left, hit a three-pointer to bring the game to 83-80 with 21.9 seconds left to go. After the buzzer, Dean Gillian Lester congratulated the team on their performance. Lester took the court during the faculty halftime game in her first Deans' Cup since joining Columbia Law School in January. |
The March 26 game drew a lively crowd of alternative March Madness enthusiasts: students, faculty, staff, friends, and even children, who, in some cases, sported “Lawyer-in-Training” headbands. Good-natured heckling ensued among both sides: NYU fans held up signs belittling the U.S. Supreme Court’s first chief justice, John Jay, who attended Columbia in the 1700s, while fans from Morningside Heights alluded to their higher ranking in various legal education metrics.
The game marked Columbia Law School Dean Gillian Lester’s first time on the hardwood since joining the faculty in January from UC Berkeley School of Law. She wasted no time getting in on the action, joining students on the court for pre-game warm-ups and appearing in the starting line up of the halftime faculty game. Despite great enthusiasm and competitive drive, she and her colleagues—Professors Suzanne Goldberg, Jamal Greene, Bernard Harcourt, Robert Jackson, Gillian Metzger ’96, and David Pozen—lost to their NYU counterparts, including Dean Trevor Morrison ’98, a Columbia Law School graduate and former professor. The final score was 13-11.
With the help of generous firm sponsors, the two teams raised more than $20,000 to support students working in the public interest. This year’s money will be used to fund projects around the globe, including protecting civil rights in southern U.S. states and helping draft constitutions for countries in Africa. Since the competition began, the schools have raised more than $500,000.
A complete list of players, organizers, coordinators, coaches, and sponsors can be found in the official game program.