In a tightly contested defensive battle, No. 19 Princeton women’s basketball (17–1 overall, 5–0 Ivy League) extended its winning streak to 15 games after their 58–49 road victory over Brown (11–6, 3–2).
From the jump, the Bears controlled the tempo, holding the Tigers to just nine points in the first quarter. During the final sequence of the quarter, junior guard Ashley Chea scored a tactical left-handed layup through contact. However, on the other end, Brown’s guard Isabella Wesley got loose for an open basket to push the Tigers deficit to 15–9 heading into the second quarter.
Brown’s intense defensive pressure disrupted Princeton’s offensive rhythm, initially forcing contested plays, limiting transition chances. Though the Tigers were held to almost 20 points under their season average, their confidence wasn't shaken.
“We knew no matter what, we were not going to leave this game without a w[in],” Chea said to The Daily Princetonian after the game.
Princeton took this mindset into the second quarter, settling into a rhythm. Junior forward Fadima Tall led the charge, knocking down two early three-pointers to erase the deficit and tie the game. The teams traded runs for the remainder of the half, with neither side able to generate sustained separation. A timely three from sophomore forward Emily Eadie in the closing seconds sent Princeton into halftime with a narrow 24–20 lead.
Brown opened the second half with an and-one and a quick basket off the missed free throw to briefly reclaim the momentum, but that proved to be the Bears’ last sustained push. Senior guard Madison St. Rose answered with a three-point play of her own, sparking Princeton’s most decisive stretch of the afternoon. St. Rose ripped off a 16–3 run to seize control and built a sizable lead. The surge, fueled by a strong five steal performance in the third and efficient half-court execution, gave the Tigers a 41–35 cushion heading into the final period.
The fourth quarter followed a familiar script. Brown repeatedly threatened to close the gap, but Princeton answered each push with composure. Clinging to a four-point lead, the Tigers strung together seven consecutive points, highlighted by Tall’s and-one finish, stretching the margin to 54–43 with just under four minutes to play. Brown cut the deficit to five with 1:17 remaining, but junior guard Skye Belker calmly converted four free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
Tall led Princeton with 12 points and eight rebounds, while Belker added 11 points and sophomore guard Toby Nweke chipped in ten off the bench. The Tigers’ defense again proved decisive, holding Brown below 50 points and stifling the Bears’ offense in key moments.
“[I] love how hard we compete from minute one to forty,” Head Coach Carla Berube told the 'Prince.' "The former sophomores, now juniors, know how to win games,” she added.
The victory added to the Tigers’ impressive resume thus far. The Orange and Black look to continue their impressive rise up the AP Poll with a tough home game against Columbia (13–5, 4–1) on Friday, January 30th at 6:00 pm in Jadwin.
Xavier Latimer is a Sports contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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