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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Women's Basketball Heads South of the Border for 2014 Cancun Challenge
November 25, 2014 | Women's Basketball
| 2014 Cancun Challenge Game Notes |
|
| Gametimes | Princeton vs. Wake Forest l Thursday, Nov. 27 - 8:30 p.m. (EST) |
| Princeton vs. Montana l Friday, Nov. 28 - 6 p.m. (EST) | |
| Princeton vs. Charlotte l Saturday, Nov. 29 - 8:30 p.m. (EST) | |
| Game Coverage | Live Stats/Webstream |
| @PUTigers l @PUTigers_live l @DemonDeacons l @UMGrizzlies l @Charlotte49ers | |
| All-Time Series |
Wake Forest leads Princeton, 6-2 l Montana leads Princeton, 2-0 l First meeting vs. Charlotte |
| Records |
Princeton (4-0, 0-0 Ivy) l Wake Forest (4-0, 0-0 ACC) l Montana (1-1, 0-0 Big Sky) l Charlotte (1-2, 0-0 Conf. USA) |
| Princeton | Roster l Schedule l Stats l @PrincetonWBB |
| Wake Forest |
Roster l Schedule l Stats l @WakeWBB |
| Montana | Roster l Schedule l Stats l @UMGRIZZLIES_LG |
| Charlotte | Roster l Schedule l Stats l @CharlotteWBB |
| Related Links | Princeton vs. American Highlights l Game Notes (PDF) l Cancun Challenge Website |
PRINCETON VS. AMERICAN HIGHLIGHTS
PRINCETON: CANCUN CHALLENGE GAME NOTES (PDF)
Last Time Out
• Grinding out a 63-56 victory over American, Princeton improved to 4-0 on the year. The program's best start under eight-year head coach Courtney Banghart is 6-0 (2011-12).
• Held without a field goal for the final 10:43, the Tigers scored their last nine points from the charity stripe.
• Princeton shot a season-best 56.3 percent (9-16) from three, which included a 66.7 percent (4-6) clip in the second half.
• The Tigers' nine threes were the most for the Orange and Black this season.
• Connecting on 41.2 percent of its shots (21-51) and 50.0 percent of its triples (8-16), American became the first team to shoot above 40.0 percent against the Tigers in 2014-15.
• Blake Dietrick finished with a game-high 19 points, knocking down 7-of-12 shots and 4-of-6 three-pointers. Also collecting seven rebounds and seven assists, she committed just one turnover while playing all 40 minutes.
• Annie Tarakchian posted the Tigers' first double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Her 11 boards were one shy of tying a career-high.
• Michelle Miller netted 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting which included a 3-of-5 showing from beyond the arc.
On a Roll
• Continuing to serve as one of the catalysts of the Tiger offense, Blake Dietrick recently garnered Ivy League Co-Player of the Week honors.
• She averaged 15.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game against Drexel and American.
• Shooting 47.8 percent (11-23) from the floor, she was 46.2 percent (6-13) from three-point range.
• Through four games, Dietrick leads Princeton in assists per game (5.0) while ranking second on the squad in points (13.3 ppg) and rebounds (7.8 rpg).
• Dietrick is the second Tiger to garner weekly honors, joining Michelle Miller who was named the Ivy League and CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Player of the Week on Nov. 17.
Dialed In
• Princeton has connected on an Ivy League best 39.0 percent (23-59) of its three-pointers this season.
• Blake Dietrick and Michelle Miller rank among the Ivy's leaders in three-point FG percentage, hitting 45.5 (10-22) and 45.0 (9-20) percent of their attempts, respectively.
• Against American last Sunday, the duo combined to make 7-of-11 attempts from beyond the arc.
• Princeton's nine three-pointers against the Eagles are the most for the Tigers in 2014-15.
• Knocking down a season-best 56.3 percent (9-16) of its threes, Princeton shot 66.7 percent from long distance (4-6) in the second half against American.
• In three seasons, Miller has connected on 39.5 percent (96-243) of her three-point attempts, which currently ranks third in Princeton's recordbook.
• Dietrick has hit 39.3 percent (157-399) of her threes over the course of her career, currently ranking fourth on the Tigers' career charts.
Around the Ivy
• Averaging 65.0 points per game, Princeton currently leads the Ivy in FG percentage (43.6) and 3PT percentage (39.0) and is tied for first in assists per game (16.0).
• Second in the conference in blocks per game (4.5), the Tigers sit third in steals per outing (7.8).
• Princeton is also second in opponent field goal percentage (34.5) and three-point percentage (23.1) while topping the league in scoring defense (51.0).
• Blake Dietrick currently leads the conference pack in assists per game (5.0) while ranking fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.5), fifth in three-point shooting (45.5) and ninth in points per game (13.2).
• Miller is currently seventh in the Ivy in three-point percentage (45.0) and eighth in scoring (14.0 ppg).
• Annie Tarakchian is tied for 10th in the league in rebounds per outing (8.0 rpg).
• Amanda Berntsen is tied for seventh in steals (2.5 spg).
• Alex Wheatley currently sits fourth in the Ivy in field goal percentage (51.5) and third in blocks (1.5 bpg). Her 54.5 career field goal percentage ranks third all-time.
• Taylor Williams is second in the conference in blocks per game (2.0). Williams matched a career-high by swatting five shots against Pittsburgh on Nov. 14.
Getting Defensive
• Princeton currently ranks 21st in the nation in scoring defense allowing just 51.0 points per game.
• The Tigers held their first three opponents (Pittsburgh, Duquesne, Drexel) under 40.0 percent shooting.
• Forcing 16.0 turnovers per game, the Orange and Black are averaging 7.8 steals and 4.5 blocks per outing.
• Through its first four games, Princeton is holding opponents to just 34.5 percent (77-223) shooting with a 23.1 (18-78) clip from behind the three-point line.
South of the Border
• Princeton heads South of the Border for the Thanksgiving break to participate in the 2014 Cancun Challenge.
• The Tigers will compete in the Mayan portion of the bracket alongside Wake Forest, Charlotte and Montana.
• Hartford, Furman, Florida State and Washington make up the Challenge's Riviera Tournament.
• The Orange and Black will open tournament play against Wake Forest on Thursday, Nov. 27 before taking on Montana (11/28) and Charlotte (11/29).
All-Time Series
• Princeton is a combined 2-8 all-time against its Cancun Challenge opponents.
• The Tigers are 2-6 all-time against Wake Forest in a series that dates back to the 1980-81 season.
• Wake Forest took the inaugural showdown in 1980, 72-71. Snapping a six-game Demon Deacon win streak, Princeton won the last meeting in 2010, 71-63.
• The Orange and Black are 0-2 all-time against Montana. Winning the inaugural meeting on Dec. 28, 1997 (58-31), the Grizzles prevailed in the rematch on Dec. 28, 2003, 68-54.
• This week's meeting will be the first ever between Princeton and Charlotte.
Scouting Wake Forest
• Wake Forest enters Tournament play with a 4-0 record. Off to their best start since 2010-11, the Demon Deacons have dispatched of Longwood (64-60), Tennessee Tech (89-62), Marquette (89-77) and Coppin State (65-54).
• Averaging 76.5 points per game, Wake Forest is surrendering 61.0 points per contest.
• The Demon Deacons rank third in the ACC in three-point percentage (0.379) and rebounding margin (+21.5 rpg).
• Connecting on 43.8 (105-242) of their shot attempts and 34.5 (86-249) of their three-pointers, Wake Forest is holding opponents to a 32.7 (18-55) shooting percentage and a 39.1 (18-46) clip from long distance.
• Having started all 35 of her collegiate contests dating back to last season, Jill Brunori tops the ACC in steals per game (5.0) while sitting tied for sixth in rebounding (11.0 rpg).
• Ataijah Taylor is tied for eighth in the conference in assists per game (4.0).
• In its final tune-up prior to Cancun, Wake Forest defeated Coppin State, 65-54. Dearica Hamby posted the 27th double-double of her career with 29 points and 15 rebounds. She is currently 12th on the program's scoring list with 1,226 points.
• The team's leading scorer (25.0 ppg) and rebounder (12.0 rpg), Hamby was the Demon Deacons' lone selection to the Blue Ribbon Panel and head coaches' Preseason All-ACC team.
• Wake Forest was picked to finish 11th in the ACC in both the Blue Ribbon Panel and coaches' preseason polls.
Scouting Montana
• Montana carries a 1-1 record into the Cancun Challenge. The Grizzlies opened the season with a 55-44 victory over Montana-Western before suffering a 62-50 setback at Pacific.
• Coming off a 23-11 record last season, Montana was picked to finish second in the Big Sky Conference preseason coaches' poll behind defending champion North Dakota.
• Kellie Rubel was one of just two Grizzlies to score in double-digits in the team's last outing against Pacific, tallying 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting. She also led the team in rebounding with eight boards. Shanae Gilham had 10 points and six rebounds off the bench.
• Shooting just 35.5 percent (38-107) on the season which includes a 25.0 percent (11-44) showing from behind the arc, the Grizzlies are averaging just 52.5 points per game.
• In its opener against Montana-Western, Montana went more than 11 minutes spanning the first and second halves without scoring a point. Against Pacific, the Grizzlies suffered another second half slump, going more than 10 minutes without a field goal.
• Rubel leads the team in points (10.5), rebounds (6.0) and assists (5.5) per game. McCalle Peller and Gilham are averaging 10.0 points apiece while combining for 10.5 rebounds.
Scouting Charlotte
• Charlotte enters Challenge play with a 1-2 overall record. After winning their season opener against Liberty (79-77), the 49ers dropped a pair of games to North Carolina State (70-63) and Elon (67-54).
• Preseason All-Conference USA selection Lefty Webster averages a team-high 15.3 points per game. She also ranks second on the squad in rebounding (6.3 rpg).
• Webster paced Charlotte in its last outing against Elon, netting a team-high 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting while grabbing eight boards. Alexis Alexander chipped in with 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting with five rebounds.
• Charlotte ranks in the middle of the Conference USA pack in points per game (65.3) while ranking near the bottom of the league in scoring defense (71.3).
• Third in the conference in three-point shooting (36.0) the 49ers are dead last in three-point percentage defense (41.0).
• Charlotte is second in Conference USA in assists per game (15.7) and fourth in steals (9.3) and A/TO ratio (0.9).
• Webster is currently seventh in the league in scoring (15.3 ppg), while Hillary Sigmon is tied for 13th (13.3 ppg). Webster is also tied for third in steals (3.0) while Sigmon is sixth in three-point percentage (42.9).
• Kira Gordon is tied for ninth in rebounding, pulling down 8.0 boards per game.
• Ayanna Holmes is tied for seventh in Conference USA in assists per game with 4.0 per outing.