Women's Basketball: Princeton returns home to play two

Princeton (3-4 overall) is on a three-game skid, and the Tigers hope to recover some momentum in the six games they will play during their three-week academic hiatus. They can begin tonight at 7 with a win over Monmouth (4-4).

The Muhawks are also stuck in a three-game losing streak, with their most recent loss coming against Farleigh Dickinson in overtime. Monmouth was down 17 points at halftime and staged an impressive comeback run, but the Muhawks couldn’t close the game, falling 60-56. Forward Jennifer Bender, Monmouth’s leading scorer with 16.4 points per game, shot only one for seven from the floor, though the six-foot, one-inch senior pulled down 12 rebounds in the loss. Bender isn’t the Muhawks’ only offensive weapon, however. With Bender stymied, forward LaKia Barber took center stage Monday night, pacing the team with 17 points. Barber is second on the team in points and rebounds per game, averaging 13 and seven respectively.

“This is a revenge game for us,” head coach Courtney Banghart said. “Our game at their place last year was the low point of our season. We’ve waited a year for this chance at redemption.”

The Tigers have also faced Farleigh Dickinson this season, winning by an impressive 15-point margin on Nov. 25. Sophomore guard Addie Micir led the team in scoring in the contest, putting up 13 points. Senior forward and tri-captain Whitney Downs, who is currently on a hot streak with 39 points in the Tigers’ last two games, chipped in 11 points to the winning effort, while freshman forward Lauren Edwards added 10. Downs is a former staff writer for The Daily Princetonian.

The Tigers are coming off two losses in the Collier’s International Classic tournament last weekend. The team played fairly well in both games, remaining competitive for a large portion of the game against a formidable No. 3 Cal squad and losing by only two points in the final seconds to St. Louis. Downs’ 39 points in the two matchups earned her a spot on the All-Tournament team, and the Tigers hope that her productivity on the court continues.

“I’m so proud of how far Whitney has come,” Banghart said. “Her love of the game has never been in question ... She has spent that last year and half learning the system and acquiring more skill. She’s playing with a lot of confidence and has been, and will continue to be, pivotal to our growth”

Downs and Micir are Princeton’s only double-digit scorers, with 11.9 and 11.4 points per game, respectively.

The Tigers’ Sunday afternoon opponent, on the other hand, boasts four players who average at least 10 points per game. Sacred Heart’s balanced attack starts with 5’9” guard Alisa Apo. The sophomore has netted 15.8 points per game this season, including 16 against Farleigh Dickinson, whom the Pioneers felled 81-45, and 31 points in the team’s 77-75 loss to Lehigh.

The Tigers started their skid with a 63-43 loss to the Mountain Hawks. Princeton trailed by only six points at the half. The Mountain Hawks were able to dominate the second stanza, however, making 80 percent of their free throws to run away with the victory. Against Sacred Heart, Lehigh barely got the upper hand, but Apo’s heroics kept the game within reach. The Tigers can’t afford to focus on Apo alone, however, because her teammates are more than capable of stepping up. Forward Callan Taylor had a double-double against Lehigh with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Coming home to Jadwin after nearly three weeks on the road gives Princeton a chance to build some momentum heading into the rest of its winter break schedule, which will be spent on the road.