Princeton University Athletics
Defensive Tests
February 05, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 5, 2004
Princeton, N.J. - The Princeton women's basketball team (5-11, 2-1 Ivy) travels to Dartmouth and Harvard this Friday and Saturday to face the league's top two offensive teams. The Tigers will try to counter with their schematic defense that has held opponents to just 62.8 points per game.
Both games can be heard on Princeton's internet broadcast, which is accessible via the schedule/results web page.
In its first league weekend sweep since the 1999-2000 season, the Tigers defeated Brown and Yale at Jadwin Gym last weekend and hope to use that momentum against the current No. 1 in the Ivies (Dartmouth) and the two-time defending league champion (Harvard).
The Crimson was selected as the preseason favorite to win the Ivies again but lost two overtime matches with Dartmouth and Cornell and now stands in sixth place.
Harvard's strength is its experience with all five starters returning from last year's Ivy championship team including defending Player of the Year and the nation's second-leading scorer Hana Peljto. After Peljto and Reka Cserny (17.8 points per game), the next highest scorer averages 6.5 points per game.
Dartmouth may be even more challenging for Princeton, who has not defeated the Big Green in four years. Although picked to finish fourth because of its youth, the Big Green has won its last six including a 93-88 overtime game at Harvard. Dartmouth has a more well-rounded offense than Harvard and is led by freshman Elise Morrison (18.0 points per game) and sophomore Jeannie Cullen (17.1 points per game).
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Princeton at Dartmouth (10-6, 3-0) - Friday, Feb. 6; 7 p.m.
History Lesson - Dartmouth leads the all-time series 33-16 and is on a six-game win streak against the Tigers. The Big Green won 74-52 and 77-61 in 2002-03. Princeton's last win (64-51) came in the second meeting with the Big Green in the 1999-2000 season. The Tigers' last win at Dartmouth came in the 1997-98 season (51-47).
Numero Uno - Dartmouth is in first place in the Ivy League with a perfect 3-0 record and a 10-6 overall mark. Penn is also 3-0 in the Ivies. A Princeton win would mark the second straight week that the Tigers knocked off the No. 1 team. Last week, they defeated Brown who was 2-0 in the conference and 9-6 overall.
Kids' Play - Dartmouth starts two freshmen and three sophomores, the same as Princeton's starting lineup in most games.
They're Going Streaking - The Big Green is on a six-game winning streak with its last loss coming against Siena (68-58) on Jan. 2, 2004. The Siena loss was Dartmouth's fifth loss in six games.
High Scorers - Dartmouth averages 71.4 points per game, which is 12.4 more points than Princeton averages and the second highest scoring offense in the Ivy League. The Big Green isn't as strong on the defensive end where it gives up 70.0 points per game, the second worst average in the league.
Efficiency Rating - The Big Green leads the conference in three-point percentage (.392) and free-throw percentage (.796) and is second in field goal percentage (.445).
Tough in the Paint - Dartmouth has blocked 77 shots this season (4.8 per game) and grabbed 28.0 defensive boards per game. It leads the Ivy League in both categories.
Personnel - The Dartmouth offense centers on two players - Elise Morrison, who at 18.0 points per game is the third-highest scorer in the conference, and Jeannie Cullen who puts up 17.1 points per game. But Angie Soriaga (10.4 points per game) and Ashley Taylor (9.2 points per game) can also step up and score when called upon.
Dominant At Both Ends - Morrison leads the league in field goal percentage, hitting 126 of 226 shots (.558), as well as in defensive rebounds (6.62 per game) and blocked shots (47).
On the Line - Three Dartmouth players are among the league's top five free-throw shooters. Soriaga is first (90%) followed by Jeannie Cullen (85%) and Ashley Taylor (81%).
Princeton at Harvard (8-8; 1-2) - Saturday, Feb. 7; 6 p.m.
Neck and Neck - Harvard leads the all-time series 27-25 and has won the last three. The Crimson defeated the Tigers 78-42 and 72-60 last season.
De Ja Vu - The Crimson returns all five starters and 11 letterwinners from last year's Ivy League championship team.
Picking Up Speed - After its first consecutive losses of the season against Dartmouth (93-88) and Quinnipiac (76-67), Harvard has won its last three. The Crimson defeated Lafayette (73-52) and Cornell and Columbia, both 70-58.
Putting Up Points - Harvard leads the Ivy League in scoring with 74.3 points per game while Princeton is last at 59.0. The Crimson also top the league in scoring margin, winning by an average of 4.4 points per game.
The Player to Watch - Hana Peljto has earned the spotlight, leading the team and conference in both points (24.0 per game) and rebounds (10.6 per game). She is the second-highest scorer in the nation behind Idaho's Emily Faurholt, who lit up Princeton for 26 points earlier this season.
Double-Trouble - Peljto and Reka Cserny are among the Ivy League's top five scorers. Peljto's 24.0 points per game is the best in the Ivies while Cserny's 17.8 points per game is good for fourth. Hovering near 50%, they are fourth and fifth in field goal percentage, just above Princeton's Becky Brown.
Two-Way Threat - Peljto or Cserny has led Harvard's scoring in all 16 games and rebounding in 15.
Knowing Her Role - Tricia Tubridy has a team-high 3.4 assists per game, which puts her at fourth in the league. She is third in Dartmouth scoring with 6.5 points per game off a team-best 85% free-throw shooting.
Three Moore - Beverly Moore is fourth in the Ivies in three-point field goal percentage, hitting 20 of 46 shots (.435). She chips in 5.4 points per game.
Princeton Team Notes
Making Their Mark - Before last weekend, the last time Princeton defeated two Ivy League teams in one weekend was against Brown and Yale in 1999-2000. The Tigers also swept Columbia and Cornell in one weekend that year.
Spanning Decades - Princeton has not defeated Harvard and Dartmouth in the same weekend since the 1990-91 season. After splitting a win against the Big Green and a loss to the Crimson in their first meetings, the Tigers beat both Dartmouth and Harvard in their final two games of the year.
Defense Rules - Princeton has held its opponents to just 62.8 points per game (second in the league) off 39% shooting from the field (first in the league). The Tigers have allowed teams to shoot just 30% behind the arc (first in the league).
Four-Way Threat - Four Tigers are in double figures for points per game - Becky Brown (11.9), Casey Lockwood (11.4), Katy Digovich (11.0) and Katy O'Brien (10.7).
First Honor - Lockwood was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week for her consecutive double-doubles in wins over Brown and Yale. It was her first career league honor and Princeton's first this season.
Shuffling the Lineup - Only Lockwood and O'Brien have started all 16 games for the Tigers. Nine different players have started at least one game.
Homesick - The Tigers are winless on the road (0-6) and have just one neutral win (1-2). Four of their five wins came in Jadwin Gym.
Ivy Time - Princeton 11 remaining games are all against Ivy League teams. Five of those games are home, including the last three.
The Young and the Restless - Two freshmen (Digovich and Lockwood) and one sophomore (O'Brien) lead Princeton in minutes played with over 31 per game.
Using Time Wisely - Brown averages just 21.4 minutes per game but is still the team's top scorer (11.9 points per game) and shot blocker (14) and is third in rebounds (5.6 per game). She shoots 47% from the floor, good for sixth in the league.
Long Range - O'Brien is shooting 48% (46 for 96) behind the arc for the best percentage on Princeton and in the Ivy League. She has made at least four three-pointers in seven games, including five threes in eight attempts vs. Georgia Tech.
Sharing the Wealth - Five different Tigers have been the team's leading scorer in at least one game. Brown and Brown each had five top-scoring performances
The 20 Club - Princeton has had a player score at least 20 points only four times this year and each time it was by a different player. Lockwood scored 20 in the season opener, Brown had 20 in the second game of the season, Digovich scored 20 at Penn and O'Brien had the team's season-high 21 points against Brown.
On the Line - Lockwood is Princeton's top free-throw shooter, hitting 50 of 67 attempts (.746). Eight of her 15 points against Colgate came on foul shots, all in the second half.
Dishes and Boards - O'Brien leads Princeton with 3.1 assists per game (sixth in the league) and Lockwood has a team-high 8.6 rebounds per game (fifth in the league).
Man Down - Freshman Kelli Hughes has left the team due to a recurrent knee injury.
Looking Ahead - Three high school seniors committed early decision to play at Princeton. Meagan Cowher (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Ali Prichard (Apple Valley, Minn.) and Ariel Rogers (Evanston, Ill.) join the Tigers in 2004-05.