Susannah Rafiu wins WBIT championship and earns All-Tournament honours with Columbia

Ipswich’s Susannah Rafiu has capped off a stellar senior season by winning the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) with Columbia and earning All-Tournament Team honours in the process.

The Lions defeated top-seeded BYU 81-64 in Wednesday’s championship game at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas, with Rafiu contributing 12 points and eight rebounds in the title game. It marked Columbia’s first WBIT championship and capped off a dominant tournament run in which they led for 96% of their playing time across five games.

Rafiu, who hails from Ipswich, was named to the All-Tournament Team alongside teammates Riley Weiss – the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player – and Mia Broom.

Outstanding senior season

The WBIT triumph represents the pinnacle of Rafiu’s Columbia career, which has seen her develop from a promising recruit into one of the Ivy League’s most consistent performers. Known for her versatility and basketball IQ, she has been a steady presence in Columbia’s line up throughout the season.

“A few weeks ago, we fell short of some of the goals we wanted to achieve,” said tournament MVP Riley Weiss after the championship victory. “We weren’t going back to New York City without a Championship.” The sentiment captured the Lions’ determination to end their season on a high note after falling short in earlier competitions.

Columbia’s championship run was built on dominant performances throughout the tournament, with the Lions never trailing after the opening minutes of their first game. Their wire-to-wire victories showcased the team chemistry and execution that has defined their successful campaign under head coach Megan Griffith.

For Rafiu, a Hoopsfix All-Star Classic alumnis, the championship adds another significant achievement to her basketball journey that began in Ipswich before taking her across the Atlantic to one of America’s premier academic institutions. The title represents both personal validation and team success as she concludes her collegiate career with Columbia’s first WBIT championship in program history.

The victory marks a fitting end to Rafiu’s senior season and her Columbia career, cementing her place among the British players making their mark in American college basketball.

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