Empire State road trip ends in two league losses

The Tigers started strongly against Columbia, jumping out to a 12-9 lead behind six early points from senior forward and co-captain Meagan Cowher. The Lions, in search of their first winning season in the Ivy League, came roaring back behind the backcourt play of guards Danielle Browne and Kathleen Roehrkasse. The backcourt duo’s defensive pressure disrupted Princeton’s offensive momentum, leading to a 12-3 run that gave Columbia a 35-23 halftime lead.

“Columbia has solid guard play, with speed and toughness attacking the basket,” head coach Courtney Banghart said. “We got many good looks on the offensive end but were not able to convert them into scores.”

Columbia limited the Tigers’ offensive opportunities throughout the game, out-rebounding Princeton 40-32. Despite having a higher shooting percentage than Columbia, the Tigers were often limited to only one shot per possession on offense, while Columbia’s edge on the offensive boards led to multiple second-chance opportunities for the Lions.

This pattern was readily apparent in the second half, when Columbia’s star forward Michele Gage scored 17 points and pulled down seven rebounds. Gage’s combination of inside toughness and outside shooting gave the Tigers fits all night, and her back-to-back three-pointers early in the second half extended the Lions’ lead to 41-27, a deficit from which Princeton could not fight back.

The Tigers’ weekend did not get any easier on Saturday, when they traveled upstate to face Cornell. Perhaps motivated by the prospect of clinching a share of the Ivy League title, the Big Red came out on fire. Cornell jumped out to a 24-4 lead in the game’s opening nine minutes.

“We dug ourselves in too big a hole early, starting the game [down 24-4],” Banghart said. “We battled back and played better on both ends, but we can’t spot any team, particularly one as good as Cornell, 20 points early in the game. Playing from that far behind was too much to overcome.”

Despite Cornell’s furious start, Princeton continued to play tough basketball the entire game. The Tigers’ ability to turn the game around after such a difficult start is a testament to the grit and toughness the team has displayed throughout the year.

“We continue to show enormous fight. I’m very proud of our continued focus and effort on the practice floor,” Banghart said. “We are committed to progress, but we simply have to do a better job making open shots and getting organized on the offensive end.”

Princeton’s offensive struggles against Cornell were caused, in part, by Cowher’s early foul trouble. The Tigers’ captain received her second foul less than three minutes into the game with the Big Red already up 9-2. This opening was all Cornell needed to put the game out of reach, as it continued to run up the score with Cowher forced to watch from the bench.

When Cowher finally returned to the game, she gave the Big Red something to remember in her final game in Ithaca, scoring 26 points while shooting an impressive 11-16 from the floor. Cowher’s offensive dominance was one of the bright spots during the Tigers’ difficult weekend. In addition to her 26 points against the Big Red, Princeton’s offensive dynamo dropped 25 points against Columbia to bring her career total to 1,640, second place on the all-time scoring list.

Princeton was also boosted by the return from injury of freshman guard Addie Micir, who played for the first time since the Ivy League opener against Penn.

“[Addie] loves the game, and her versatility gives us many options on the floor,” Banghart said. “I feel badly for her that she missed so much of her freshman season, but she has a bright future here.”

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The Tigers hope to end their season on a positive note Tuesday night at Penn. The game will be Cowher’s last and could serve as an appropriate segue between Princeton’s distinguished past and bright future.