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Photo by: Beverly Schaefer
An Ivy League Tournament Review as Alarie Ties Single-Season Block Record
March 13, 2017 | Women's Basketball
PRINCETON, N.J. – Despite falling in the Ivy League Tournament Championship game, the Princeton Tigers will await their postseason fate as they will receive the conference's automatic qualifier to the Women's Invitational Tournament (WNIT).
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In the meantime, let's take one last look at the Ivy League Tournament week.
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Alarie/Robinson named All-Ivy – Story
Ivy League Tournament Preview – Story
#IvyMadness Friday Press Conference – Story
Princeton 68, Harvard 47 – Recap/Box Score/Highlights
Penn 57, Princeton 48 – Recap/Box Score
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Bella Alarie was selected to the Ivy League All-Tournament team. The freshman was dominant in the two games at the Palestra, averaging 14.0 points, 13.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. She posted back-to-back double-doubles, giving her eight on the season. Against Harvard, she set a career high with 16 rebounds in the win. Her three blocks against the Crimson also tied the single-season record (50) set by Ellen Devoe during the 1984-85 season.
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"Bella has had a tremendous start to her collegiate basketball career," said head coach Courtney Banghart. "She contributed immediately offensively and her defensive positioning and understanding grew so much week to week. Bella is both competitive and coachable; she wants to be the best she can be for this team. We'll look forward to helping her break her own block record in the years ahead."
Leslie Robinson was also named to the Ivy League All-Tournament team. Robinson, second team All-Ivy, contributed 12.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game including a 15-point, 11-rebound, six-assist performance against Harvard.
Harvard's Defense – The Crimson came into the contest ranked as one of top three-point defenses in the country, but that didn't stop the Tigers in the second half. In front by nine, Princeton offense came out on fire in the third quarter, making four of its first five shots, pushing its lead to 16 (34-18), which led to a Harvard timeout. An 8-3 spurt at the end of the frame gave the Tigers a 49-31 advantage.
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The Tigers' offense hardly slowed down in the fourth stanza as it went 6-of-13 (46.7 percent). Harvard cut its deficit to 10, but the Tigers quickly followed with a 7-0 sprint to put the game out of reach. In the second half, Banghart's team was 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. For the game, Princeton finished with 17 assists on 22 made shots and won the rebounding battle, 47-35.
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Closing Out Harvard – In the first two matchups, the Crimson made runs in the fourth quarter to close gaps against Princeton. On Saturday, the Tigers thwarted any chance of a comeback with its dynamic offense and stifling defense. After a basket from Harvard's Katie Benzan with 6:26 to go got the Crimson within striking distance (52-42), Princeton held its opponent without a basket for over five minutes, rattling off 12 of the next 15.
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Brown's Offense – The top ranked offense in the Ivy League gave Penn some issues at it took a 40-35 lead with 6:35 to go in the third quarter. However, the Quakers, sitting with the No. 3 scoring defense in the country, rattled off a 21-4 push, to take a 56-44 lead after three quarters. Brown would not get closer than nine the rest of the way.
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Penn's Defense – After Brown took a 40-35 lead, the Bears had just eight baskets the rest of the way. Brown made a run to get within nine after an Erika Steeves basket with 3:49 remaining, but Penn gave up two baskets in the last four minutes, one of which came with 10 seconds to go with the game out of reach. Princeton turned a 17-point deficit in to a nine-point game with 2:58 left in the game on Sunday, but the Quakers' defense held strong, allowing one bucket in the final three minutes to secure the victory.
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Michelle Nwokedi – The Ivy League Player of the Year was honored as the Most Outstanding Player in the tournament. The junior had 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks vs. Brown and followed that up with 15 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks against Princeton.
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In the meantime, let's take one last look at the Ivy League Tournament week.
Â
Alarie/Robinson named All-Ivy – Story
Ivy League Tournament Preview – Story
#IvyMadness Friday Press Conference – Story
Princeton 68, Harvard 47 – Recap/Box Score/Highlights
Penn 57, Princeton 48 – Recap/Box Score
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Bella Alarie was selected to the Ivy League All-Tournament team. The freshman was dominant in the two games at the Palestra, averaging 14.0 points, 13.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. She posted back-to-back double-doubles, giving her eight on the season. Against Harvard, she set a career high with 16 rebounds in the win. Her three blocks against the Crimson also tied the single-season record (50) set by Ellen Devoe during the 1984-85 season.
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"Bella has had a tremendous start to her collegiate basketball career," said head coach Courtney Banghart. "She contributed immediately offensively and her defensive positioning and understanding grew so much week to week. Bella is both competitive and coachable; she wants to be the best she can be for this team. We'll look forward to helping her break her own block record in the years ahead."
Leslie Robinson was also named to the Ivy League All-Tournament team. Robinson, second team All-Ivy, contributed 12.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game including a 15-point, 11-rebound, six-assist performance against Harvard.
Harvard's Defense – The Crimson came into the contest ranked as one of top three-point defenses in the country, but that didn't stop the Tigers in the second half. In front by nine, Princeton offense came out on fire in the third quarter, making four of its first five shots, pushing its lead to 16 (34-18), which led to a Harvard timeout. An 8-3 spurt at the end of the frame gave the Tigers a 49-31 advantage.
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The Tigers' offense hardly slowed down in the fourth stanza as it went 6-of-13 (46.7 percent). Harvard cut its deficit to 10, but the Tigers quickly followed with a 7-0 sprint to put the game out of reach. In the second half, Banghart's team was 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. For the game, Princeton finished with 17 assists on 22 made shots and won the rebounding battle, 47-35.
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Closing Out Harvard – In the first two matchups, the Crimson made runs in the fourth quarter to close gaps against Princeton. On Saturday, the Tigers thwarted any chance of a comeback with its dynamic offense and stifling defense. After a basket from Harvard's Katie Benzan with 6:26 to go got the Crimson within striking distance (52-42), Princeton held its opponent without a basket for over five minutes, rattling off 12 of the next 15.
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Brown's Offense – The top ranked offense in the Ivy League gave Penn some issues at it took a 40-35 lead with 6:35 to go in the third quarter. However, the Quakers, sitting with the No. 3 scoring defense in the country, rattled off a 21-4 push, to take a 56-44 lead after three quarters. Brown would not get closer than nine the rest of the way.
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Penn's Defense – After Brown took a 40-35 lead, the Bears had just eight baskets the rest of the way. Brown made a run to get within nine after an Erika Steeves basket with 3:49 remaining, but Penn gave up two baskets in the last four minutes, one of which came with 10 seconds to go with the game out of reach. Princeton turned a 17-point deficit in to a nine-point game with 2:58 left in the game on Sunday, but the Quakers' defense held strong, allowing one bucket in the final three minutes to secure the victory.
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Michelle Nwokedi – The Ivy League Player of the Year was honored as the Most Outstanding Player in the tournament. The junior had 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks vs. Brown and followed that up with 15 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks against Princeton.
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Monday, April 13
Friday, April 10