The Princeton women’s basketball team has been unstoppable this season, climbing national polls with a 21-0 record, and is now the only women’s Division I basketball team in the country still undefeated. The only other college basketball team still undefeated at this point in the season is the University of Kentucky men’s team. This weekend’s matchups will likely see the Tigers continue their hot streak as they face off in away games against Brown at 7 p.m. on Friday and Yale at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
The Tigers are currently ranked 16th in the Associated Press Top 25 national ranking and 18th in the USA Today Coaches Poll. It is the only Ivy League team in history to be ranked in both polls at the same time, and the only team in the conference to be ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The only team in Ivy League history to have more consecutive victories to open a season is the 1970-71 Penn men’s team, which went 28-0, and the Tigers have matched the longest winning streak in program history (21) that was set in the 2009-10 season. The Tigers have averaged 79.0 points per game, shooting 55.6 percent on field goals with a +33.5 scoring margin. The Tigers have the highest three-point percentage in the country (43.0) and the second-highest scoring margin. Princeton has also won all but one of its games this season by double digits, winning by at least 20 points in 12 different games, topped by a 71-point victory over Portland State University on Dec. 19.
Senior guard Blake Dietrick has had an incredible season and has just been named as a player to watch for the Nancy Lieberman award, given to the best point guard in the country, and is in consideration to receive the Naismith Trophy, given to the best men’s and women’s college basketball players. Dietrick averages 15.0 points, 5.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game, shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 46.6 percent on three pointers. Dietrick is sixth in the country in three-point field goal percentage and 28th in assists per game. Dietrick has also received five Ivy League Player of the Week awards this season and is the only player in program history to be named U.S. Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Week.
Junior guard Michelle Miller has also made standout appearances this season, picking up an Ivy League Player of the Week award this week, her second personal award and the 10th for the Tigers this season. Miller averages 15.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, shooting 68.4 percent from the field and 60.0 percent on three-pointers. Miller’s three-point shooting percentage is the second-highest in the country.
Junior guard/forward Annie Tarakchian has also made a large impact on the Tiger’s dominating performance, averaging 11.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game on the road and posting five double-doubles this season. Tarakchian has also won two Ivy League Player of the Week awards this season and is tied for second in the conference for rebounding (8.7 per game) and ranked third in three-point shooting (47.9). Another strong Tiger shooter is junior forward Alex Wheatley, who averages 10.4 points per game and 5.1 rebounds, shooting .591 from the field.
Brown comes into this weekend’s matchup on a three game win streak and a 9-11 overall (3-3 Ivy League) record, ranked fifth in the League. Two Bears have average numbers of points per game in the double digits, with Jordin Alexander averaging 14.9 and Sophie Bikofsky averaging 12.8. Janie White leads the team with 6.7 rebounds per game, while Alexander leads the team with 2.6 assists per game. Brown shoots 38.2 percent from the field and 30.1 percent on three-pointers, averaging 66.1 points per game.
Yale comes into this weekend with a seven game win streak and a 11-9 overall (5-1 Ivy League) record, ranked second in the League. Yale has the highest number of offensive rebounds per game in the League at 14.3 while forcing the second-most turnovers per game (18.3). One player has been shooting double digits on average, with Sarah Halejian netting 14.9 per game and leading the team in assists with 4.3 per game. Katie Werner leads the Bulldogs in rebounds, averaging 6.6 per game. Yale shoots 37.3 percent from the floor and 26.2 on three pointers, averaging 62.3 points per game.
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