Women’s basketball stays atop Ivy League standings with weekend split

The women’s basketball team split its weekend matches against Dartmouth and Harvard to maintain its top spot in the Ivy League standings. The Tigers defeated Big Green to start the weekend, but fell to the Crimson, ending their seven-game winning streak in the Ivy League. Despite the loss, Princeton still managed to secure a spot in the upcoming Ivy League tournament. It must beat either Brown or Yale in one of its two upcoming games to enter as the top seed.

Princeton opened weekend play with a strong start against Big Green. Combining an efficient offense and tenacious defense, the Tigers built an early lead in the first quarter. The Tigers shot an impressive 58.2 percent from the field, a season best, which included some impressive shooting from beyond the arc early. While Dartmouth would come back to end the quarter 11–9, the Orange and Black would distance themselves in the second quarter.

An impressive 14–0 run put Princeton in control of the game. Hot shooting from three-point range proved crucial as the Tigers knocked down seven threes in just the first 20 minutes. With a 40–27 advantage heading into halftime, Princeton never looked back and secured a crucial away win that guaranteed them championship play. The Tigers went on to defeat Big Green 79–67.

Senior forward Leslie Robinson led the Tiger offense with 15 points, nine assists, and eight boards. Junior guard/forward Sydney Jordan added 14 points to the Princeton effort with a near perfect record, shooting seven of eight from the field.

The next day, as they headed into the game against Harvard, the Tigers knew they were in for a tough time. The Crimson are 11–0 at home and had just beaten second-ranked Penn. Princeton put up a strong effort, keeping the game close for the first half. The teams went back and forth through the beginning of the third period, but a 10–0 run by the Crimson gave it a 14-point advantage that would prove to be insurmountable.

The Crimson shot 51 percent from the field and, more impressively, 55.6 percent from three-point range. Harvard sank 10 three-pointers in its 72–58 victory.

The Tigers will face Brown this Friday and Yale on Saturday at home to end regular season play. A win against either team will give the Tigers the top spot in the tournament. Tipoff against Brown is 6:30 p.m. in Jadwin Gymnasium.