Punishing early season games set stage for Ivy play

After a grueling non-conference schedule loaded with nationally ranked opponents, the women's basketball team (3-13 overall) begins the Ivy League portion of its season Saturday night against Penn (3-10).

The Tigers hope that their difficult early-season slate will buoy them to a repeat of their 2005-06 campaign, when they tied for the Ivy League title. Here's a preview of what kind of challenges the Tigers are likely to face from their Ancient Eight rivals.

Brown (1-13) enters the Ivy League season on a six-game losing streak. The Bears' offense has fallen on hard times of late, breaking the 60-point barrier only once this season. Brown has one of the youngest teams in the Ivy League, with a starting roster of one freshman, three sophomores and only one returning starter from last season.

The team's inexperience has made it difficult for Brown to find a rhythm this season, as the Bears have repeatedly shuffled their lineup in an attempt to determine their starting five.

One of the bright spots for Brown this season has been sophomore guard Christina Johnson. In Brown's win against Howard, Johnson led the team with 20 points.

While the Bears are still working to make up for the loss of four starters from last season, they have continued to gain experience and could give Princeton a difficult game later in the season.

After finishing 4-10 in the Ivy League last season, Columbia (3-10) hopes to make a jump in the standings. The Lions have two returning senior starters, guards Michele Gage and Brittney Carfora, who will provide guidance for an otherwise youthful squad.

Columbia's most notable addition is six foot, three inch freshman center Lauren Dwyer, who will be an imposing presence for the Lions over the next four seasons. She has already been awarded Ivy League Rookie of the Week three times this year.

With the experienced play of Gage and Carfora in the backcourt and Dwyer emerging as a star in the post, Columbia should have a well-balanced offensive attack. If these three can gel with the rest of the team, the Lions have a good chance at improving upon last year's league record.

Cornell (7-5) goes into the 2008 conference season with lofty expectations. The Big Red boasts one of the most experienced starting lineups in the Ivy League, returning three upperclass starters from last year's team. Junior guard Kayleen Fitzsimmons anchors the backcourt, while senior forward Moina Snyder and junior forward Jeomi Maduka provide depth up front.

Cornell's collective team experience has already been apparent this season, as the Big Red is the only team to enter the Ivy League with a winning non-conference record.

Additionally, the Big Red has started the same five players every game this season, while other teams in the league have been attempting to work underclass players into their rotations. Cornell's ability to establish a starting lineup so will work in its favor as it enters the Ivy League season as one of the teams to beat.

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Any time contenders for the Ivy League title are being debated, Dartmouth (3-9, 1-0 Ivy League) seems to play a big role in the discussion. The Big Green has been the standard-bearer for excellence in the Ivy League over the past quarter-century, winning 15 league titles since 1980.

After last year's disappointing — by its own standards at least — second-place finish, Dartmouth should be back with a vengeance.

The Big Green has one of the most dangerous offensive attacks in the Ivy League. Sydney Scott, a 2006-07 second-team All-Ivy selection, creates matchup problems against any team in the post, while senior guard Kristen Craft and junior guard Koren Schram anchor the backcourt. Schram, the Big Green's three-point specialist, has taken her game to another level this season and was recently honored with her first ever Ivy League Player of the Week award. Dartmouth further solidified its presence as one of the favorites in the league title race with last weekend's 52-47 win at Harvard, the 2006-07 Ivy League champion.

While Harvard's (7-8, 0-1) defense of its 2006-07 Ivy League title got off to an inauspicious start with a loss to rival Dartmouth in the conference opener, the Crimson will not give up its league crown without a fight.

Harvard returns its top-four leading-scorers from last year's team, including senior guard Lindsey Hallion, a 2006-07 second-team All-Ivy selection, junior guard Emily Tay, a 2006-07 first-team All-Ivy player and junior forward Katie Rollins. These three will make playing the Crimson a tall order for any team in the Ivy League, and they provide a balanced offensive attack that is only rivaled in the league by Dartmouth.

While Harvard faces an uphill battle if it wants to replicate last year's success, it has the depth and experience to pull off another title run.

Yale (2-9) enters the Ivy League season still trying to make up for the loss of last year's first-team All-Ivy performer Erica Davis. Hoping to fill this void is sophomore guard Melissa Colborne, the reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year. Colborne is joined in the backcourt by two returning starters: senior Stephanie Marciano and junior Jamie Van Horne.

These three guards will have to shoulder much of the load for an otherwise inexperienced Yale team that has no returning starters at forward. If one of Yale's young forwards can emerge as a scoring threat in the post, however, the Bulldogs could be a dark horse contender this season.