Women's Basketball: Princeton to bounce back in home opener

While the Tigers (1-1 overall) don’t have to be ashamed about losing to the No. 2 team in the nation 83-35, Princeton will have to improve its execution on both ends of the court to have success in its home-opener Saturday night against Stony Brook (0-3).

“Having the ability to bounce back from a tough loss is absolutely crucial for any team that wants to succeed,” junior center Cheryl Stevens said. “There are always going to be games that don’t go as planned, and Rutgers is an obvious example of that for us. You have to let [the loss] sit with you for a while so that you can absorb the feeling and think about what you need to change so that it doesn’t happen again. Then you simply have to shake it off and move forward.”

Despite Stony Brook’s three losses and unimpressive stats (32.4 percent shooting, 9.1 percent from beyond the arc and 56.3 free throw percentage) early in the season, Princeton should be wary that it is coming off a game the likes of which most of the team has not had to deal with.

“Rutgers is tremendous: They are a legitimate Final Four team. They are better than they were last year, and so are we,” head coach Courtney Banghart said. “We had a big road win to start the year and a tough loss to a Final Four team. This is all a part of our journey. [Saturday] execution against Stony Brook will have to be better.”

In just two games, the Tigers’ journey has had some serious emotional highs and lows. Big losses can induce a sense of desperation and mental fatigue that can linger for the following games. These feelings can combine to overwhelm a player’s sense of confidence anytime a game takes a turn for the worse.

The last time the Tigers experienced a margin of defeat similar to that in Tuesday’s loss to Rutgers was in the 2005-06 season when the Tigers were crushed by a top-ranked Tennessee team. Princeton needs to look to its seniors, who were there to experience the 107-39 loss, to take leadership roles during this week’s practice and will still need that guidance during Saturday’s game to ensure the team retains its composure.

“I’m disappointed that we didn’t represent what we’ve built,” Banghart said. “Our effort was not reflective of who we are, nor of our body of work, and I can assure you that we will not waste this loss.”

The performance of one senior in particular, guard Whitney Downs, could have a big impact on the game’s outcome. She is having a solid season so far for the Tigers, leading the team in scoring with 11.5 points per game. A big performance from Downs early in the game would guide the Tigers on their way back to a winning record. Downs is also a staff writer for the Daily Princetonian.

The Tigers will also have to play tough defense. Stony Brook doesn’t have one top scorer to contend with but instead boasts a group of good shooters, any one of whom could emerge as the biggest threat in the game.

That kind of uncertainty doesn’t bother Banghart, though. The second-year coach is keeping her team focused on getting better with each successive outing.

“We are constantly evolving. Our system requires us to play with confidence and with all five parts working as one,” Banghart said. “We did not have enough possessions on offense or defense where five played together. That killed us, and we have to take care of that first.”

There are only two ways a team can react after losing a game: It can fall apart or, as Banghart put said, it can evolve into a smarter, more cohesive unit. The Tigers have the potential, the will and the senior leadership to bounce back positively from this loss. During the 2005-06 season the Tigers were able to overcome their loss to Tennessee with a 73-56 victory against Mount St. Mary’s, which propelled the team to a seven-game win streak. Whether this year’s team will be able to bounce back as effectively as it did three years ago will be determined in Jadwin Gymnasium on Saturday at 6 p.m..