No. 23 Princeton women’s basketball (18–2 overall, 6–1 Ivy League) dominated in Jadwin Gym on Saturday, securing a 72–61 win over the Cornell Big Red (8–12, 3–4). The game continued the tradition of a longstanding Ivy rivalry and was the 90th time Princeton took on Cornell. It was a solid bounce-back win for the Tigers following their loss to Columbia on Friday.
Princeton set the tone early, playing with pace and attacking on both ends of the floor to build a slim advantage in the opening minutes. Cornell kept things tight by answering Princeton’s early runs with timely baskets and strong interior play, preventing the Tigers from pulling away. By the end of the quarter, Princeton held an 18–16 lead.
The second quarter turned into a back-and-forth battle, with neither team able to seize full control. Cornell found more offensive rhythm, knocking down shots to briefly swing momentum. Both teams traded leads multiple times, and the evenly matched play resulted in a 27–27 tie at halftime.
Coming out of the break, Princeton showed renewed energy, pushing the tempo and capitalizing on key possessions to regain a narrow edge. Cornell continued to stay composed and kept the game within one or two possessions throughout the quarter.
The Tigers and the Big Red proved to be a competitive match, and most of Princeton’s lead was gained in the final minutes of the game. By the fourth quarter, the Tigers were ready to bring home a win, entering with a narrow two-point lead at 48–46.
Junior guard Ashley Chea made good from deep, pulling the Tigers even further ahead, following another three-pointer by junior guard Skye Belker. Belker scored eight total points in the fourth quarter.
“I would say our biggest spark came from our defense,” Belker told The Daily Princetonian, when asked what adjustments the team made at halftime that helped propel the fourth-quarter run. “We did a much better job with our defensive principles and following the scout to execute our defensive game plan.”
The game proved to be a strong performance from the junior class. Belker and junior guard Olivia Hutcherson put up 20 points each, with Belker and Chea also securing five assists.
“In the second half, we continued to do a great job moving the ball and finding open players,” Belker told the ‘Prince.’ “I was happy that I was able to knock down my shots and extend our lead in the fourth.”
The team also had a consistent and strong shooting game throughout, shooting 17 out of 28 in the second half and finishing the game with a 19/5 assist-to-turnover ratio.
This game was a team effort and proof that the Tigers play for each other.
“Our success is dependent on us playing together and committing to do the little things throughout the game to help us win the game,” Belker told the ‘Prince.’
With this victory, Princeton became first-place in the Ivy League women’s basketball rankings.
The Tigers play their next game against the Penn Quakers at home on Friday.
Ify Obianwu is a Sports contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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