Tigers eye better defense

With a non-conference schedule that includes No. 4 Maryland and No. 3 Rutgers, the women's basketball team has no choice but to toughen up before the first Ivy League game bounces into Jadwin Gym in January. New head coach Courtney Banghart is preaching the importance of mental toughness, and the Tigers better take note if they want to survive the early part of their season against national contenders.

Senior star forward Meagan Cowher, who is the school's 11th highest all-time leading scorer, will lead Princeton's offense, while Banghart hopes to begin her tenure by revamping a defense that ranked seventh in the conference last year.

"We're going to be a little more defensive-minded," Banghart said. "We're going to try to hold teams to a lower field-goal percentage than we did last year."

An improved defense should open up fast-break opportunities for the offense. In turn, Banghart's offensive scheme will give her players more freedom, whether in a fast-break situation or in a half-court set, than the offensive system in last year's fourth-place Ivy League finish did.

"I think these are kids that are coming from a structured offense where the coach sort of dictated where the shots came from," she said. "If we all look to attack, the offense looks pretty versatile."

As for Cowher, Banghart is just happy that she no longer has to scout against her, as she did as an assistant coach at Dartmouth. Last year, Cowher averaged 17.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game on the way to a first-team All-Ivy selection, but she might be even more dangerous to opponents this year after improving her ability to drive to the basket with either hand.

"Meg Cowher ... is a tremendous low-post threat," Banghart said. "She really has diversified her package. She can go left or right. She can play from the high-post area as opposed to just the baseline, short-corner area ... To have someone on the interior at this level that talented is rare, so we'll try to exploit that."

Banghart is predicting 25 points per game this season for Cowher, but the standout forward will have some help to back her up.

"Depth is definitely a strength. Some teams, especially in the Ivy League, have two or three very good players and then not much else," Banghart said. "We've got an obvious proven star in Meg Cowher and then a lot of pieces that will all get a chance to contribute."

In particular senior forwards Ali Prichard and Katy Digovich will each shoulder part of the load. Prichard's outside shots should open up inside opportunities for Cowher, while Digovich's versatility and hustle will set a quality example for the underclassmen, including freshman Addie Micir, who will receive a significant amount of playing time at point guard.

Sophomore Cheryl Stevens is the most improved player since practice began in the fall. The six-foot, two-inch forward played in just five games last year while snaring eight rebounds in her freshman season, but she figures to get more opportunities this season after impressing Banghart.

Princeton's season will open tonight against Maryland at the Preseason Women's National Invitational Tournament. The non-conference schedule will also feature home games against No. 13 Cal, No. 23 Vanderbilt and Rutgers.

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"For these teams to want to come here shows the prestige of the University," Banghart said. "Fans, whether they're basketball fans or Princeton fans or not, they should really come out for some of those big games."

Penn will be Princeton's first Ivy League match-up, on Jan. 12. Harvard is the favorite to win the conference, followed by Dartmouth and Cornell.

"Cornell returns all five starters, Harvard is going to be awesome and Dartmouth always thinks they can win," Banghart said. "All you have to do to win is think you can, and Dartmouth thinks they can win every game they play."

Banghart brings a mindset based on determination and toughness from her time at Dartmouth, and she wants to establish a similar mentality in her players. Princeton is expected to finish fourth or fifth in the Ivy League, but Banghart likes the thought of being underrated. She hopes her team can rise to the challenge and surprise the rest of the league.

So far, Banghart has been pleased with her team's response to a new system.

"I have been so pleasantly surprised with their level of concentration and their collective energy all year," Banghart said. "You can hear a pin drop when I talk to them ... They have totally bought into the fact that every day we have to get better."