Around the Ivy League: Women's Basketball

Yale (10-12, 6-2)

Princeton’s first repeat opponent may be its most important, as the Tigers take on second-place Yale on Friday at Jadwin Gymnasium. The then-1-7 Bulldogs pulled off the most surprising non-conference victory of any Ivy League team this season when they dropped 91 points on No. 15 Florida State at home in December. But that offensive firepower was lacking against Princeton in January, as the Elis managed just 37 points in a loss on their own court. Yale will be counting on guard Megan Vasquez, the league’s third-leading scorer (13.7 points per game), and four-time Rookie of the Week Janna Graf in its attempt to upset Princeton in the rematch and take over the pole position.

Harvard (13-8, 5-2)

Returning every player from last season’s second-place team, the Crimson was expected to be Princeton’s top challenger in 2011. They lived up to that billing by knocking off the defending champions at Lavietes Pavilion earlier this month to end the Tigers’ 22-game conference win streak. Harvard went into last weekend undefeated but unexpectedly came out in third place, dropping road games at Yale and Brown. Forward Emma Markley, guard Brogan Berry and guard Victoria Lippert are all among the league’s top five in scoring and shooting percentage, while Berry leads the conference in assists by a wide margin. But defense has been an issue for the Crimson, which has allowed fewer points than only one other Ivy League team.

Columbia (5-17, 4-4)

Many expected Columbia to fall from last year’s pace due to the graduation of 2009-10 Player of the Year Judie Lomax, but even the most pessimistic prognosticators would not have forecast its season-opening 13-game losing streak. The Lions then took everybody by surprise by winning four of their first six league games and losing the others by a combined four points. Alas, they appear to be coming down to earth, as Princeton and Penn both downed Columbia by at least 20 points. The Lions are 4-1 at Levien Gymnasium but have only two home games remaining, including a date with Princeton on Feb. 26; they will need to win a game or two on the road to stay in the top half of the league.

Penn (9-12, 3-4)

After sweeping last weekend’s home games — no surprise during a weekend in which home teams went eight-for-eight — the Quakers have a chance to crack the .500 mark at The Palestra this weekend. Penn was picked last in the preseason media poll, but the league’s second-best defense and guard Alyssa Baron have helped it exceed expectations. Baron looks like the runaway Rookie of the Year and will be a contender in Player of the Year voting, as she leads the league with 16.5 points per game.

Brown (7-15, 3-5)

The Bears have won three straight games after an 0-5 conference start, including a surprising 57-56 defeat of Harvard last weekend. Brown gets another chance to pull off an upset this week when it visits Jadwin, though Princeton won the first contest by 22 points at Brown. The Bears rank in the middle of the pack in nearly every statistical category and have no true star, as the only team member to average double figures is guard Sheila Dixon, with 10.4 points per game.

Cornell (5-17, 2-6)

Newman Arena is certainly home sweet home for the Big Red, which is 5-7 when playing at home but 0-10 away after a 22-point loss at Princeton last weekend. Cornell averages just below 51 points per game, by far the lowest mark in the conference, with the worst three-point shooting percentage and the most turnovers. Forward Claire Fitzpatrick contributes 11.5 points per game but has little help on the offensive end.

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Dartmouth (5-16, 1-6)

No team has won more Ivy League championships than the Big Green, which has won 17, so it is quite surprising to see the perennial contenders in the cellar this season. Dartmouth, like Princeton, lost an all-Ivy power forward for the season — Brittney Smith, who played only seven games before succumbing to a knee injury — and unlike the Tigers, the Big Green did not have enough depth to compensate. The Big Green’s only victory came over Penn at home by three points; it proceeded to lose by 25 to Princeton and last beat the Tigers two seasons ago.