Women's Basketball: Tigers to face two teams in New York

Head coach Courtney Banghart knows that the Big Red, in particular, will pose a tough test for her team.

“Cornell is the defending Ivy League champion,” Banghart said. “They play well at home, so this is a real test for us. Our biggest challenge will be disrupting their reads [and] playing solid on the defensive end.”

It will be important for the Tigers to remain focused on this weekend’s games and to not let the two losses from last weekend distract them.

In last Friday’s matchup against the Big Green, Princeton stirred things up by sending the game into overtime. In the second half, the Tigers were down by two points, when sophomore guard Addie Micir put up a jumper to tie the game at 52 with only seconds left in the game. Dartmouth, however, shined in overtime, sinking all of its shots from the field and ending the game 71-67.

In last Saturday’s game against Harvard, the Crimson took an early lead against Princeton, leading by 19 points with more than two minutes left in the first half. Micir then sparked an 11-0 Princeton run, helping the Tigers narrow the margin to 45-37 before they headed into the locker room.

In the second half, Princeton’s defense tightened up, cutting the Crimson’s shooting percentage from 62.5 percent in the first half to 43.8 percent in the second. Princeton initially went shot-for-shot with Harvard, and the Tigers drew within four with one minute left in the game. Both teams traded baskets from then on, until the Crimson pulled ahead in the final seconds and won the game, 82-73.

Banghart noted that, despite the losses to Harvard and Dartmouth, her team is looking ahead to the game against the Big Red.

“This group has showed that they will certainly play hard,” Banghart said. “Playing against last year’s Ivy League champion, on their home floor, will be a challenge. Cornell is highly organized on the offensive end. We will try to disrupt their organization while using our athleticism in the full court.”

Cornell is coming off two crucial wins against Brown and Yale last weekend. Standout players include guard Lauren Benson, who was named Ivy League Co-Player of the Week along with Harvard’s Emily Tay, and forward Alexandra Munson. Benson was integral to the Big Red’s wins against Brown and Yale, collecting a career-high 20 points against the Bears and playing a strong first half against the Bulldogs. Munson played well in Cornell’s Jan. 24 game against Columbia, collecting a career-high 17 points and grabbing seven rebounds.

In its most recent game, Columbia recorded a strong win against Brown on Saturday, but it dropped a game to Yale on Friday night. The Lions are looking forward to playing Penn and Princeton this weekend on their home court. Guard Kathleen Barry has seen floor time in all 18 games for the Lions this season and had a career-high 23 points in a 93-83 victory over Longwood University in early January.

Banghart knows that playing on the road can be tough, and she will rely on her seniors to put the Tigers in the best position to win. Senior guard Whitney Downs is averaging 9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Downs’ leadership on the court can help Princeton as it looks ahead to this weekend’s tough road matchups. In addition to Downs’ contributions, senior guard Jessica Berry is averaging 5.2 points per game and 1.5 rebounds per game. Downs is also a former staff writer for The Daily Princetonian.

“Winning on the road is always tough in the Ivy League, but it is a necessity for the champion. We will have to play Princeton basketball for 94 feet to win on both nights,” Banghart said. “Road games in this league come down to senior leadership. We will rely on our four seniors to bring us two solid road wins.”