Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Women's Basketball to Host Rider Tuesday
December 11, 2006 | Women's Basketball
A familiar theme...: Princeton's thorn this season has been turnovers, too many of them. During its Ivy title season a year ago, Princeton averaged 18.2 turnovers per game. This year, the Tigers have had only one game, with 14 turnovers against Maine, with less than 18 giveaways.
...because: Princeton shouldn't have any trouble remembering the trouble turnovers can cause. Last season at Rider, Princeton was up by 20 points with seven minutes to play and suffered 19 second-half turnovers as Rider whittled the lead to two in the final two minutes before Princeton held on, 67-63.
Keep 'em comin': Princeton has used no fewer than 11 players in any of the nine games this year with a high of 16 against NJIT. Ten players are averaging more than 10 minutes per game and none more than Meagan Cowher, who averages 29.7 per contest.
Cowher's streak continues: Meagan Cowher had 16 points again against Rutgers, giving her double-digit points in the last 15 games dating back to last season.
Spree of threes: Princeton has hit 19 three-pointers between the last two games after sinking 30 during the first seven contests. The 11 made against NJIT were the most since Dec. 1, 2004, when Princeton made as many against Wagner.
On the series: Princeton leads the all-time series against Rider, 16-7. The Broncs, however, have won 7 of the last 12 after Princeton won the series' first 11 games.
Rough Ride-r: The Broncs are struggling through an 0-7 start to the season. Rider has at least two and possibly three Ivy League schools on its schedule this year. After falling to Penn, 77-65, last month, Rider will face Princeton tonight and possibly Cornell in a weekend tournament at Wagner at the end of the month.
More Rider: Scoring defense and rebounding are telling statistics so far for Rider. While taking only four more shots than its foes (399-395), Rider has made 46 fewer baskets (195-149) for a 121-point difference in shooting percentage, .494 to .373. The Broncs are also being outrebounded 43.3 to 29.9 boards per game. Meanwhile, turnovers (120-120) and steals (60-58, Rider) are about even. Junior guard Janele Henderson leads the team with 12.4 points per game.
Sticking with it?: Richard Barron and his staff have used the Meagan Cowher-Lockwood-Downs-Prichard-Slemp combination for the past three games, following a five-game streak in which the Tigers fielded a different five than the previous game. Starting is a regular occurrence for Cowher and Lockwood, but Prichard's four-game streak is a career-long, as is Downs' three-game string. Slemp, a senior, has also started the last four games, matching career-long streaks during her freshman and sophomore years.
Prichard pitches in: Junior forward Ali Prichard had four double-digit scoring games between her first two seasons at Princeton with two 10-point games last season and 17 and 11 in her final two games of 2004-05. She raised that total to six with 11 against NJIT and 12 against Rutgers, her highest total since the March 2005 game against Harvard. A fan of the three-pointer, Prichard has hit seven between the last two games after connecting on four in her first seven games combined.
Berry heating up: Jessica Berry had 14 points against NJIT and 13 against Rutgers, nailing seven of her nine threes this season between those two games. Her 14 points against NJIT were the most since her 30-point game at St. Mary's (Calif.) early last season, when she came within one bucket of setting a new Princeton rookie record.
Countdown to 1,000: Meagan Cowher could become Princeton's 17th 1,000-point scorer this season. She has 790 for her career and would need to average 11.1 points per game over Princeton's last 19 contests to attain the milestone by the end of the regular season. She is currently averaging 16.3 points per game.
Listen to the game, watch the game: John Sadak will call Tuesday night's contest as 23 of Princeton's 28 regular-season games will be available on GoPrincetonTigers.com this season. Hear the broadcast by clicking on the speaker icon on Princeton's women's basketball schedule page or on the “Schedule” tab on the right-side column on the front page. Also found in either location is a link to the video broadcast of the game, included in the Tiger Zone package. All 12 home games will be streamed live on the Web for the first time this season.
Ivy struggles: The Ivy League's women's basketball squads are having a tough time against their non-conference foes before league play opens next month. Through the past weekend, Ivy teams are a combined 14-49 (.222).
Gotta get to the line: Games can be won or lost at the free-throw line, and the Tigers might need to get there more often. Princeton took 15 free throws against Rutgers, one more than the Scarlet Knights shot. It was just the second time this season and first since the season-opening Wagner game that Princeton shot more free throws than its opponent. Princeton has attempted 46 fewer free throws than its foes this year.
Plenty of help: Six Princeton players have a double-digit number of assists on the season, from guards like Caitlin O'Neill and Jessica Berry (20 each) to forwards like Casey Lockwood (17) and Meagan Cowher (16).
Looking for No. 3: Princeton head coach Richard Barron has 64 wins at Princeton, making him the fourth-winningest coach in Princeton history. Next up on the list is Liz Feeley, who had 68 wins from 1995-2000. The second coach in Princeton history and the second-winningest coach, Pat Walsh, had 72 wins from 1974-79. Princeton's all-time winningest coach is Joan Kowalik, who won 163 games from 1984-95.
Looking ahead: Tuesday's game is the second home game in a three-of-four home stretch for the Orange and Black. After hosting St. Francis College (N.Y.) this weekend. After that, Princeton will play four on the road around the holidays before Columbia and Cornell mark the first full Ivy weekend at Jadwin Gym, Jan. 12-13.
“Home visits” continue: Eight of Princeton's 16 players from outside New Jersey will have the chance to play in their home areas this season. Jillian Schurle and Ali Prichard got their chance when the Tigers visited Minnesota, and Ariel Rogers, Elizabeth Pietrzak and Lillie Romeiser did so when Princeton visited Chicago. Next Friday, Meagan and Lauren Cowher will play in Pittsburgh and Whitney Downs will play in Nashville, Dec. 30.