Follow us on Instagram
Try our daily mini crossword
Play our latest news quiz
Download our new app on iOS/Android!

Tigers outlast tough Leopard defense in win over Lafayette

Alarie Layup.png

The women’s basketball team (5-2) came into last night at Lafayette (3-5) looking to pick up back-to-back wins after a win on Saturday at home over Delaware. The two teams had met early last season and Princeton came away with the win (65-27,) a goal the Tigers were looking to repeat. On Wednesday night, the Tigers were victorious 53-45.  

Senior forward Leslie Robinson and sophomore guard Bella Alarie, with 15 and 14 points respectively, led the Tigers. Both players also led the team in minutes played, playing 30 or more minutes of the 40 minute game. Robinson’s 15 points were helped by her strong shooting at the charity stripe, where she shot seven of eight for a 87.5 free throw percentage. In her time on the floor, Alarie was able to put up a double-double; in addition to her 14 points, she was able to pull down 12 rebounds, making her the only Princeton player with double digits in the rebound category. Offensively, the Tigers were limited by Lafayette’s stifling defense, shooting only 30 percent from the field, just below the Leopards season average of 33.2 percent, a mark that was twelfth best in the country coming into the night. It is worth noting, though, that Princeton’s 30 percent was slightly better than Penn's 28.4 percent when it played Lafayette (28.4 percent). 

ADVERTISEMENT

Lafayette was led by their star freshman forward Natalie Kucowski, who had a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds, leading the Leopards in both categories. Kucowski has been on fire early on this season for Lafayette, averaging 11.3 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. In her strong early start to the season, she has earned two Rookie of the Week accolades in the Patriot League. The Lepoards’ offensive struggles continued, though, early this season with 45 points, marking the fourth time they did not reach the 50-point mark, and scoring about eight points lower than their average of 53.6 points per game, a mark that ranks 336th in Division I.

Up next for the Tigers, they continue with the second of their four-game road trip with a trip to Hamden, Connecticut to take on Quinnipiac this Saturday at 1 p.m. The next home game for Princeton will not be until Dec. 30 when they play the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). This will be the Tigers' last non-conference game before they start the Ivy League slate Jan. 6 at Penn. 

ADVERTISEMENT