Women's Basketball: Around the Ivy League

Last season, the women’s basketball team went a perfect 14-0 in Ivy League play, clinching its first-ever trip to the NCAA tournament. This season, the Tigers hope to repeat atop the conference. Here’s how their Ancient Eight foes have fared in non-conference play so far:

Harvard (4-2)

The crimson is picking up right where it left off last season when it finished second in the Ivy League with an 11-3 record. The team has a strong start this season, earning victories over Maine, Oral Roberts and Boston University to win three of their first four matchups. Harvard recently fell to Holy Cross 72-53 but came back with a dominant 85-61 performance against Hartford. The Crimson’s vaunted offense currently leads the Ivy League in points per game, field-goal percentage and free-throw percentage.

Dartmouth (3-4)

The big green, looking to recapture the Ivy League title it won in 2009, has entered the 2010-11 season by facing some tough nonconference competitors. Seasoned head coach Chris Wielgus will rely on her senior forward Brittney Smith, who has already won Ivy League Player of the Week. Additionally, Smith has been the team’s highest scorer in five of the eight games thus far. Dartmouth will not play its first league game until after Christmas break, with an away game at Harvard.

Penn (2-4)

The two wins that Penn has picked up this season equal its win total from the entirety of last year, when it finished a dismal campaign with a 2-26 record. The Quakers began the season on a promising note with double-digit victories over Bryant and Rider, but a 31-point loss to Drexel in between those games revealed some weaknesses in the team. Penn has since lost consecutive contests against New Jersey Institute of Technology, Niagara and Army. The Quakers have allowed the second fewest points per game in the league but are also near the bottom in points scored per game. One bright spot has been freshman standout Alyssa Baron, who is second in the league with 14.8 points per game.

Brown (3-6)

With eight returning players and seven rookies, head coach Jean Marie Burr has the potential for a strong starting lineup. Guard Hannah Passafuime, the top scorer on the team, will be essential for the Bears as they face several tough nonconference foes. Recently, Brown toppled Southeastern Conference powerhouse Florida in a close 56-50 victory. That morale-boosting win was due in large part to the dominant play of Sheila Dixon, Lindsay Nickel and Passafuime. Going forward, Brown will rely on these players to help win a few more games before the Ivy League season begins.

Cornell (1-6)

Attempting to come out of a subpar season, the Big Red have not had the start they would have hoped for. After withstanding a couple of close comeback losses, Cornell continues to try to regain standing in the league. The Big Red faces off against its first Ivy League opponent mid-January in a matchup against Columbia. Key to obtaining a win in that first Ivy League game is a strong performance by forward Clare Fitzpatrick, who is Cornell’s top scorer and was selected to the 2010 Ivy League Rookie Team.

Yale (1-6)

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After wrapping up a mediocre season last year, Yale thought that its season-opening win against Holy Cross might be a sign of a new winning trend for the Bulldogs. Unfortunately for Yale fans, however, the Bulldogs have lost six consecutive games since that initial victory. Six-year head coach Chris Golbrecht will rely on his nine returning players and a strong freshman class to post more wins. Although Yale is undoubtedly looking for a chance at the Ivy League title, history is not on the Bulldogs’ side: They have not won the conference since 1979. Though Yale placed No. 4 in Ivy League preseason rankings, its dismal performance has already dropped it to sixth.

Columbia (0-7)

After finishing last season 9-5 in the Ivy League and 18-10 overall, the Lions haven’t been able to find nearly as much success this year. Columbia began the season with troubles against local opponents Long Island, Fairleigh Dickinson, St. John’s and Manhattan. The squad came close to earning its first victory during a trip out west to play San Diego but fell by four points. Despite its dismal record, the 87 points Columbia scored in its matchup against San Diego are tied for the most an Ivy League team has scored in a game this season.