The Princeton Tigers (8–14 overall, 4–3 Ivy League) and the Pennsylvania Quakers (10–10, 3–4) are set to face off in a critical Ivy League matchup at The Palestra in Philadelphia on Saturday at 2 p.m. The two squads last met in early January, where Princeton’s offense propelled the Tigers to a tight, 78–76 win in Jadwin Gym. With the Ivy League standings tightly contested this year, and just a game separating their conference records, the Saturday afternoon showdown will be absolutely critical to decide Ivy League favorites. The Daily Princetonian Sports section is making their picks for this in-conference rivalry.
Princeton 75, Penn 63 – Lucas Nor, associate Sports editor
Coming off a big win against Columbia last weekend to stay strong in the race for a spot in the Ivy League tournament, the Tigers will be hungry for their second win against Penn this season. In their first matchup, Princeton used big runs to cement a large enough lead to fend off a late run by the Quakers. With a young team that has taken important strides on court confidence since the start of conference play, there is no reason for the Tigers to not extend their win streak against Pennsylvania to fourteen, dating all the way back to 2018.
Junior forward Jackson Hicke has been a bright spot for the Tigers all year, but more and more contributors seem to be stepping up and making big plays. Against a smaller Penn frontcourt, it will be critical for the Orange and Black to assert their dominance inside the paint, win the rebounding battle, and maximize opportunities for second-chance points. In doing so, open opportunities will appear from beyond the arc, and with a backcourt full of shooters headlined by sophomore guard Jack Stanton, who went 6–8 from three last weekend, Princeton should give itself a great chance to win.
I think the Tigers will come out strong on Saturday and hold a great Quakers offense to a low field goal percentage. Although the Quakers will certainly apply full-court pressure, which gave the Tigers problems in January, Princeton’s growing experience should no longer have an issue protecting late leads.
Princeton 81, Penn 76 – Zeke Arnold, Sports contributor
The Tigers are coming off a huge surprise win over Columbia University, and I think the momentum will carry over to another conference win. Princeton, despite having a losing overall record, has a winning record in-conference and, except for Cornell, has played close games against in-conference opponents. They’ve shown competent defense and, at times, fantastic offense.
If the Tigers find a way to come out hot as they have at times this season, they have a real shot to put Penn away for the second time this year. They will want to rally behind players like junior guard Jackson Hicke, the team’s leading scorer, who at times this season has delivered dazzling offensive performances. If he can have a big game like he did against Yale and Dartmouth, there will be no stopping this Tiger offense.
One of the bigger concerns for the Tigers is how the Quakers were able to shut down Hicke in their first matchup, where he was limited to only eight points in 37 minutes. Since then, however, Hicke has played well, scoring over 25 points twice and being a force in the Tigers’ offensive success as of late.
I think the Tigers come out ahead fast and hold off a late rally from the Quakers, moving to 5–3 in conference.
Princeton 85, Penn 79 – Xavier Latimer, Sports contributor
On paper, the Tigers arrive at The Palestra with confidence after an 80–68 road win over Columbia last weekend that featured their most efficient offensive performance of the season. In context, this game sits at the intersection of rivalry pressure and Ivy Madness stakes.
Penn walked into Ithaca and left with a 91–81 win, scoring freely and dictating pace against a Big Red team that had dismantled Princeton only days earlier. That contrast does not automatically decide Thursday’s outcome, but it does sharpen the stakes. Princeton now has to prove that its offensive ceiling travels as well as its defensive identity usually does.
In their last matchup, Princeton escaped with a 78–76 win despite Penn winning the rebounding battle by 12, shooting a perfect 19-for-19 from the free-throw line, and putting five players in double figures. What ultimately flipped the game was an almost absurd second-half stretch in which Princeton opened 16-for-16 from the field, turning an eight-point halftime deficit into a 15-point lead. Though a reminder of how quickly Princeton’s offense can heat up, it also reveals just how vulnerable the Tigers can be when those shots stop falling.
If Princeton is going to generate enough offense in Philadelphia, Jackson Hicke will be vital to that equation. Through 22 games, Hicke has quietly become one of the league’s most efficient perimeter scorers, averaging 15.4 points while shooting 43 percent from three and over 82 percent at the line. His value, though, extends beyond the shooting splits. Hicke leads the team in assists with 2.0 and steals per game with 1.0.
Penn’s counter lies in balance rather than a single player. Forwards Ethan Roberts and TJ Powers are healthier now than in January, providing interior scoring that seeks to punish an undersized Princeton team. Penn’s physicality, free throws, and second chances kept them within striking distance in the first meeting. Princeton must contain these metrics if they want a vital road win.
Lucas Nor is an associate Sports editor for the ‘Prince.’
Zeke Arnold is a Sports contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Xavier Latimer is a Sports contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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