Brandt, Paul

Brandt was a member of Columbia's 1951 squad that finished the regular season undefeated and was ranked No. 3 in the nation. Led by All-conference players Alan Stein and Bob Reiss, the Lions swept through the Ivy League, but lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament to No. 4 Illinois (the eventual third place finisher).

Birth and Death Dates:
unknown

Career Highlights:
A New York City native, Brandt attended Stuyvesant High School (class of 1949), and was a friend and classmate of center Jack Molinas. In 1951, both Brandt and Molinas joined the Columbia University varsity basketball team as sophomores. That season, Molinas was the Lions' starting center while Brandt came off the bench as a guard.

The Lions put together one of the greatest seasons in school history. The team went undefeated in the regular season (22-0) and won the Ivy League with a 12-0 conference record. Ranked No. 3 in the nation by the AP (No. 5 UPI) entering the NCAA tournament, they played No. 4 Illinois (with outstanding forward Irv Bemoras) in the first round of the tournament. The Lions had a seven point halftime lead, but fell to the Illini, 79-71, thus ending their dream season. Brandt had one point and one rebound for the Lions in the game.

In 1952, the Lions had a good season, but could not match the previous year's success. They finished with a 7-5 conference record and an overall record of 16-10. Brandt, who started at forward for much of the season, had some very good games toward the end of the year. He scored 16 and 17 points respectively in consecutive wins over Dartmouth (83-50 and 58-55). Columbia did not play in the postseason.

In 1953, Brandt had his best season with Columbia. He was among the league leaders in scoring average (12.5) and was named second team All-Ivy League as the Lions finished with a 8-4 conference record (17-6 overall). It was later learned that Brandt's friend and teammate, Jack Molinas, had dumped games during his college career (Brandt was not involved). Molinas was later banned from the NBA (in 1954) for betting on his own team. Brandt was selected in the 1953 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Hawks but did not play in the NBA.

Origin:
New York City

Career Dates:
Brandt played guard and forward at Columbia University from 1950-1953.

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