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Players Mentioned
Princeton Earns No. 8 Seed, Draws No. 9 Green Bay in NCAA First Round
March 17, 2015 | Women's Basketball
| NCAA Tournament First Round |
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| Gametime | No. 8 Princeton vs. No. 9 Green Bay l Saturday, Mar. 21, 11 a.m. l XFINITY Center (College Park, Md.) |
| Game Coverage | TV: ESPN2 l Live Stats l WPRB |
| @PUTigers l @PUTigers_live l @GBPhoenix | |
| All-Time Series |
Green Bay leads Princeton, 1-0 |
| Last Meeting | Green Bay 67, Princeton 55 - Jan. 12, 1987 |
| Princeton | Roster l Schedule l Stats l @PrincetonWBB |
| Green Bay |
Roster l Schedule l Stats l @gbphoenixwbb |
| Related Links | Game Notes (PDF) l Complete Bracket l Princeton Selection Show Viewing Party |
PRINCETON SELECTION SHOW VIEWING PARTY VIDEO
PRINCETON GAME NOTES (PDF)
PRINCETON, N.J. – After putting the finishing touches on the first 30-0 regular season in Ivy League history, the 13th-ranked Princeton University women's basketball team will head to the University of Maryland for its NCAA first round game as a No. 8 seed.
Drawing No. 9 Green Bay (28-4) in the opening round, the Tigers are making their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance. Tip-off at the XFINITY Center is set for 11:05 a.m. on Saturday, Mar. 21 and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2. The host Terrapins earned a No. 1 seed and will face No. 16 New Mexico State at 1:30 p.m.
Princeton's seed is the highest in conference history. The Tigers were a No. 9 seed in 2012 and 2013 and the No. 11 and No. 12 seed in 2010 and 2011, respectively. The Tigers' No. 13 ranking in both the Associated Press Top-25 and USA Today Coaches polls are the highest in Ivy League history.
Winners of 11-straight, Green Bay captured its 13th Horizon League tournament title and will make its 15th NCAA Tournament appearance and ninth under head coach Kevin Borseth. Earning a berth into six of the last seven NCAA tournaments, the Phoenix have won at least one game in three of its previous five appearances. During its last NCAA run in 2012-13, Green Bay earned a No. 11 seed and fell to LSU in first round action, 75-71.
Welcome to the Show
• The Tigers are making their fifth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, having gone winless in their first four trips.
• Princeton's No. 8 seed is the highest in Ivy League history.
• The No. 9 seed in 2012 and 2013, Princeton was the No. 11 and No. 12 seed in 2010 and 2011, respectively, representing what had previously been the highest seeds an Ivy League team has ever earned.
• In their last appearance in 2013, the ninth-seeded Tigers fell to No. 8 Florida St., 60-44, in Waco, Texas.
• In 2012, ninth-seeded Princeton dropped a 67-64 decision to No. 8 Kansas St. in Bridgeport, Conn.
• In 2011, the 12th-seeded Tigers fell to No. 5 Georgetown in College Park, Md., 65-49.
• In 2010, 11th-seeded Princeton lost to No. 6 St. John's in Tallahassee, Fla., 65-47.
Rare Company
• With the win over Penn on Mar. 10, the Tigers completed an Ivy-record 30-0 regular season.
• Princeton surpassed the 1970-71 Penn men's team (28-0) for the best regular season in conference history.
• The Tigers have set a new single-season program wins record, breaking the 2009-10 squad's mark of 26-3.
• Princeton has also bested what had previously been the longest win streak in program history (21) set in 2009-10.
• The 2014-15 Tigers are the 15th women's basketball team to enter the NCAA Tournament undefeated.
• Princeton's appearance marks the fifth-time a mid-major program has entered the NCAA Tournament unbeaten - joining Liberty in 1998 (28-0 Big South), Vermont in 1992 (29-0 America East) and 1993 (28-0 America East) and Louisiana Tech in 1990 (29-0 American So.).
• Unranked in the Associated Press poll, Liberty earned a No. 16 seed, falling in the first round to fellow unbeaten, No. 1 Tennessee.
• Also suffering a pair of first round exits, Vermont was a No. 8 seed in 1993 after picking up a No. 9 seed in 1992. The Catamounts were ranked 18th and 25th, respectively, in the AP poll those seasons.
• The No. 1 team in the country in 1990, Louisiana Tech garnered a No. 1 seed out of the American South and advanced to the Final Four.
National Spotlight
• Princeton is currently ranked No. 13 in both the Associated Press Top-25 and USA Today Coaches polls.
• The Tigers are the only team in Ivy League history to be ranked in both polls at the same time.
• Princeton is the first conference team to be ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
• The Orange and Black's No. 13 AP and USA Today rankings are the highest in conference history.
• The Tigers are also slotted No. 12 in the most recent NCAA RPI rankings and No. 7 in the Jeff Sagarin/CBN Women's Basketball ratings.
• In 2011-12 Princeton became the first Ivy team to be nationally ranked, finishing No. 24 in the final AP poll. The Tigers also received votes in each of the final nine coaches polls that season.
• Alongside the University of Kentucky's men's team (34-0), Princeton is one of just two remaining unbeaten teams in Division I Men's or Women's Basketball.
By the Numbers
• The Tigers are second in the nation in three-point shooting percentage (40.6).
• One of the country's most efficient offenses, Princeton also sits second in scoring margin (+24.9), third in field goal percentage (49.3), 12th in assists (17.1), 18th in scoring (75.8) and 20th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.19).
• Also boasting one of the nation's stingiest defenses, the Tigers are second in opponent field goal percentage (33.3), third in points allowed (50.9), fourth in three-point defense (24.7), and sixth in rebounding margin (+11.2).
• Blake Dietrick currently tops the Ivy League in assists per game with 5.1 per contest. She is tied for third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.7), fourth in three-point shooting percentage (41.8), and fifth in scoring (14.9) and field goal percentage (49.1).
• Alex Wheatley currently leads the conference in shooting percentage (57.7) and is third in blocks per game (1.4).
• Currently leading the conference in three-point shooting (48.5), Annie Tarakchian is second in rebounding (9.2) and ranked third in field goal percentage (50.7).
• Michelle Miller ranks second in three-point percentage (45.4) and is seventh in field goal percentage (45.5).
Off to the Races
• Princeton has made quick work of its opponents this season, winning all but two of its games by double digits.
• The Tigers' largest margin of victory is a 71-point triumph over Portland St. (Dec. 19). Princeton's largest Ivy win came by way of a 50-point victory over Harvard on Jan. 30.
• Princeton has won 16 of its games by at least 20 points.
• The Tigers have built a lead of at least 20 on 24 occasions.
• The Orange and Black have led by at least 30 points in 15 of its outings.
• Princeton has led from end-to-end in 11 of its games.
• The largest deficit the Tigers have faced in 2014-15 has been seven points (Drexel, Nov. 19/Hampton, Jan. 5).
• The Tigers have only trailed at the half on one occasion - its season opener against Pittsburgh (20-19).
• Princeton has trailed in the second half just twice this season (Pitt, Nov. 14/Hampton, Jan. 5), for a total of 3:04.
• Princeton's six-point win over Yale on Feb. 14 is its smallest margin of victory this year (W, 56-50).
Top of the Mountain
• With the win over Brown on Feb. 13, head coach Courtney Banghart surpassed Joan Kowalik (163) for the most coaching wins in program history.
• Her career .718 career winning percentage is the highest in Princeton women's basketball history (168-66).
• Since her arrival in 2007-08, the Tigers are 92-17 against the Ivy League.
• Capturing the Ivy League title in five of the last six years, the Tigers are making their sixth-straight postseason appearance.
• Banghart was the conference's unanimous selection for its inaugural Coach of the Year award this season and has been named a finalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year honor.
Leading the Pack
• In the midst of a stellar senior season, co-captain Blake Dietrick was the league's unanimous choice for Ivy League Player of the Year honors after previously earning a spot on the Nancy Lieberman watch list and the Naismith Trophy Midseason 30.
• The Nancy Lieberman award is presented every year to the best point guard in the nation, while the Naismith Trophy is awarded annually to the best men's and women's college basketball players.
• Averaging career-highs in points (14.9), assists (5.1) and rebounds (4.7) per game, Dietrick is shooting a career-best 49.1 percent from the field.
• Her 152 assists this season are a single-season program record and are tied for the seventh-highest total in Ivy history.
• Dietrick has been named the Ivy League Player of the Week on seven occasions this season.
• Dietrick has picked up three CollegeSportsMadness.com Ivy Player of the Week laurels in 2014-15 while earning a spot on the site's Mid-Major All-America first team.
• She is the only player in program history to be named the USBWA National Player of the Week, garnering her second honor from the organization on Jan. 6.
• Blake Dietrick tops the Ivy League in assists per game with 5.1 per contest. She is tied for third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.7), fourth in three-point shooting percentage (41.8), and fifth in scoring (14.9) and field goal percentage (49.1).
All-Conference Accolades
• Five Tigers were honored when the conference released its postseason award winners on Mar. 13.
• Blake Dietrick was named the Ivy's Player of the Year, becoming the 10th student-athlete in league history to be unanimously selected.
• She is the third Tiger to accomplish the feat, joining Addie Micir (2010-11 and Niveen Rasheed (2011-12, 2012-13).
• Dietrick also earned a second straight first team selection.
• Courtney Banghart was named the conference's inaugural Coach of the Year. It marked Banghart's third Ivy League honor, having been named a two-time first team all-league honoree as a student-athlete at Dartmouth.
• Annie Tarakchian and Alex Wheatley joined Dietrick on the first team. Michelle Miller was an honorable mention pick.
• Of the four times that an Ivy program has placed three members on the first team, three of them have been by the Tigers: 2014-15 (Blake Dietrick, Annie Tarakchian, Alex Wheatley), 2010-11 (Devona Allgood, Addie Micir, Lauren Edwards) and 1977-78 (C.B. Tomasiewicz, Margaret Meier, Jackie Jackson).
Weekly Honors
• With Blake Dietrick's Co-Player of the Week accolade on Mar. 9, a Princeton player laid claim to the Ivy League POTW award in each of the 14 weeks in which the squad played a game and was eligible.
• It marks Dietrick's seventh Ivy POTW of the season, having also been recognized on Nov. 24, Dec. 8, Dec. 15, Jan. 5, Jan. 12 and Mar. 2.
• Dietrick is one of just three players in conference history to collect at least seven POTW honors in one season.
• It marks Dietrick's 11th Ivy League Player of the Week award of her career, tying Harvard's Hana Peljto for the fourth-most in conference history.
• Dietrick currently has the second-most Ivy POTW laurels in program history, second only to Niveen Rasheed (14).
• The Tigers' 14 Ivy POTW awards this year are the most in Ivy history passing Harvard's previous best of 11.
• Four of Princeton's five starters have been named Ivy Player of the Week with three of those four earning multiple honors.
USBWA National Player of the Week
Jan. 6 - Blake Dietrick
Ivy Player of the Week
Nov. 17 – Michelle Miller
Nov. 24 – Blake Dietrick (Co-Player)
Dec. 1 – Annie Tarakchian
Dec. 8 – Blake Dietrick (Co-Player)
Dec. 15 – Blake Dietrick
Dec. 22 - Annie Tarakchian (Co-Player)
Jan. 5 - Blake Dietrick (Co-Player)
Jan. 12 - Blake Dietrick (Co-Player)
Feb. 2 - Alex Wheatley (Co-Player)
Feb. 9 - Michelle Miller (Co-Player)
Feb. 16 - Annie Tarakchian (Co-Player)
Feb. 23 - Annie Tarakchian
Mar. 2 - Blake Dietrick (Co-Player)
Mar. 9 - Blake Dietrick (Co-Player)
CollegeSportsMadness.com Weekly Honors
Nov. 16 - Michelle Miller (Mid-Major National POTW)
Dec. 7 - Blake Dietrick (Ivy POTW)
Dec. 14 - Blake Dietrick (Ivy POTW)
Feb. 2 - Blake Dietrick (Ivy POTW)
Feb. 23 - Annie Tarakchian (Ivy POTW)
Corvias ECAC Div. I Metro/Upstate Player of the Week
Dec. 16 - Blake Dietrick (Co-Player)
Dec. 23 - Annie Tarakchian
Milestones
• Courtney Banghart (168-66) became Princeton's all-time winningest coach with a victory over Brown on Feb. 13, surpassing Joan Kowalik (163).
• With 25 points against Penn on Jan. 10, Blake Dietrick became just the 22nd player in program history to join the 1,000-point club.
• Dietrick currently ranks third in Princeton history in career three-pointers made (206), fifth in assists (341), and 11th in scoring (1,196).
• Dietrick's 446 points in 2014-15 are ninth on the program's single-season charts
• Dietrick's 152 assists are a school record, breaking the mark of Andrea Razi (1994-95 - 149).
• Alex Wheatley's field goal percentage (57.7) this season is currently on pace to be the highest mark in program history.
• Annie Tarakchian's 275 rebounds this year are tied for the third-most in school history. She is 20 away from tying the school record held by Margaret Meier (1975-76 - 295).
• Tarakchian's 48.5 three-point percentage is currently on pace to be the highest single-season mark in school history.
• Michelle Miller's 45.4 three-point percentage this season would currently rank fifth.
• Princeton's 2,274 points this season are already a program record passing last year's mark of 2,271.
• The Tigers' 867 made field goals, 512 assists and 139 blocks are also team records, while the squad's 49.3 shooting percentage is on pace to be the highest in program history.
New(ish) Faces
• Princeton is just a combined 0-2 all-time against Green Bay, Maryland and New Mexico State.
• Green Bay defeated the Tigers in the only ever meeting in 1986-87, 67-55.
• Maryland and Princeton met in the 2007-08 Preseason WNIT, with the Terrapins scoring a 76-52 victory in College, Park, Md.
• Should Princeton and New Mexico State square off in second round action, it would be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
Did You Know?
• Blake Dietrick is also a midfielder on Princeton's 13th-ranked women's lacrosse team.
• Dietrick was a Winter Ivy All-Academic selection (2013-14).
• Alex Wheatley is one of five juniors to be accepted into Princeton's Scholars in the Nation's Service Initiative (SINSI) and will ultimately pursue an MPA from the Woodrow Wilson School while working a two-year fellowship in the federal government after graduation.
• Wheatley spent this last summer working for the Conservation Clubs in Laikipia County, Kenya.
• A chemistry major with a certificate in neuroscience, Michelle Miller is a Princeton Shapiro Prize for Academic Excellence award winner and a CoSIDA third-team academic All-America selection.
• Leslie Robinson is the niece of First Lady Michelle Obama. Her father Craig Robinson, is one of two Princeton men's basketball players to twice be named Ivy League Player of the Year.
• Amanda Berntsen's twin, Jonathan, plays basketball for Div. III Wheaton College.