Princeton comes alive in weekend sweep

Against Yale, freshman shooting guard Shelbie Pool hit two three-pointers with less than two minutes remaining to stretch a 56-56 tie into a six-point Tiger lead the team would not relinquish. Princeton came back from a nine-point second-half deficit to win the game.

“We’re constantly evolving,” head coach Courtney Banghart said. “I think this game showed our toughness in being able to weather the storm and come back and get the win.”

Much of Princeton’s comeback was accomplished with Cowher, the team’s captain and leading scorer, on the bench due to foul trouble. In her absence, freshman point guard Krystal Hill scored 15 points, 13 coming in the second half.

“All Krystal cares about is playing hard,” Banghart said. “She’s continued to improve the entire season, and with her speed, she’s got a good career ahead of her in the Ivy League.”

Throughout the second half, the backcourt combination of Hill and junior point guard Jessica Berry created openings for the offense. The two players continuously switched off handling the ball, keeping the Yale defense off balance and combining for six assists. The tenacious point guards also provided a defensive spark, with Berry’s six steals creating multiple fast-break opportunities for the Tigers.

“With two point guards in the game, both players can loosen up a little bit,” Banghart said. “They both can also create opportunities for other players.”

This is exactly what Berry and Hill did, with each assisting on one of Pool’s three-pointers in the game’s final two minutes. Pool also helped shut down Yale’s leading scorer, Melissa Colborne, in the second half, holding the guard to three points after she scored 17 in the first half.

The back-to-back victories were a fitting way for the fans at Jadwin Gym to say goodbye to the Tigers’ two senior leaders. Both Cowher and Prichard have appeared in more than 100 games for Princeton, and each played a pivotal role in the team’s weekend success.

Prichard scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds against the Bulldogs, while Cowher scored eight points despite being blanketed by the Yale defense when she was in the game.

“Meg’s been our leader, and today she showed her maturity when she got into foul trouble,” Banghart said. “Meg just wants to win, she doesn’t care about individual numbers, and I think it was good for the fans to see how much of a team player she is on Senior Day.”

In the Friday night game against Brown, the fans also got a chance to see Cowher’s customary dominance on the floor. The six-foot, one-inch forward scored 16 points while dishing out four assists against the Bears to help the Tigers turn a 28-20 second-half deficit into a 59-46 lead.

Princeton was also sparked by the excellent play of Hill, who led the Tigers with 19 points while grabbing eight rebounds. The freshman guard only missed one shot during the game, while going 3-3 from behind the arc and 8-8 on free throws.

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The weekend home stand was a fitting final memory for Cowher and Prichard, both of whom played important roles during the Tigers’ 2006 Ivy League Championship run.

“I just want to make sure we get as many wins as we can,” Cowher said. “Individual reflections will happen down the road.”

When the time for reflecting arrives, this weekend will certainly be one that Cowher and Prichard will look back on as a reminder of all the good things they contributed to Princeton basketball during their four years.