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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Penn
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Princeton Women's Basketball Opens Ivy Season With 50-48 Loss at Penn
January 09, 2016 | Women's Basketball
BOX SCORE
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Despite erasing a 10-point second half deficit, the Princeton University women's basketball team ultimately fell short in its Ivy League opener at Penn, 50-48.
Moving to 11-4 on the season, the Tigers suffered their first conference loss since dropping the 2013-14 regular season finale to Penn on Mar. 11, 2014. With the win, the Quakers (10-2) snapped a streak of 10-straight Princeton victories over Penn in Ivy openers.
Trailing 5-0 after the Quakers' Lauren Whitlatch banked in a three as the shot clock expired, Amanda Berntsen drove baseline for Princeton's first points. With the Tigers struggling to get into a rhythm on the offensive end, Berntsen again knifed into the paint and converted a three-point play the old-fashioned way to trim the deficit to 7-5. Taylor Brown then scored five of the game's next seven points, giving the Orange and Black its first lead on a three-pointer with 56 seconds left in the first quarter.
Penn's Beth Brzozowski opened up the second period scoring with a pull-up jumper before Ashley Russell knocked down a three to help Penn open up a 16-10 cushion. Snapping a 5:36 minute scoring drought, Vanessa Smith hit a runner in the lane midway through the quarter. Netting just five points in the frame and 15 for the half, Princeton shot just 19.4 percent (6-31) from the field in the first 20 minutes.
Down 26-16 in the third after another Whitlatch triple, Alex Wheatley made a strong move inside to pull Princeton back within single digits. Annie Tarakchian followed with a three from the right wing before Smith stuck a pull-up to cut the lead to three. Getting out in transition, Tarakchian converted down low with 5:13 left in the quarter before Wheatley netted back-to-back baskets to cap off a pivotal 13-0 run that put the Tigers back on top, 29-26.
Knotted at 36-36 with eight minutes remaining in regulation, Penn's Michelle Nwokedi drained a three from the top of the key. Still down three inside of the six-minute mark, Wheatley blocked an Nwokedi layup before finishing with her left hand on the other end. Forcing a stop on the next possession, Berntsen corralled a Princess Aghayere miss before getting the outlet to a racing Brown for an easy two that put the Tigers back in front, 42-41.
Taking advantage of a loose ball foul that sent Wheatley to the bench with her fifth, Kasey Chambers knocked down a pair of free throws to help Penn retake the lead. After a Sydney Stipanovich jumper made it 47-44, Miller pulled up for two to keep the Tigers within striking distance.
Still ahead by one after a Berntsen miss inside of a minute, Nwokedi drew a fifth foul on Smith. After Nwokedi missed both free throws, the Tigers had a chance to take the lead, but Tarakchian couldn't knock down a runner in the lane. Forced to foul, Princeton sent Nwokedi right back to the line where she made 1-of-2.
Getting one final possession, the Tigers found Tarakchian on the wing for a three-pointer that drew iron and fell out of bounds off a Penn player. With 1.3 seconds left, Berntsen played an inbounds pass to Miller, but Nwokedi blocked the would-be winner as the final horn sounded.
Going 0-for-6 in the first half, Wheatley netted all 12 of her points in the second before fouling out. Smith added 10 points and seven rebounds, while Tarakchian finished with seven points and matched a career-high with 17 boards. Miller and Brown chipped in with seven points apiece while combining for nine rebounds.