Penn Holds Off Late Princeton Rally, 66-60, In Ivy Opener

Saturday, January 5

Princeton, N.J.

2:00 PM

Princeton University

8-8 (0-1Ivy)

Penn

9-2 (1-0Ivy)

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Penn	18	15	6	27	66
Princeton	11	17	16	16	60

Photo by: Beverly Schaefer

Penn Holds Off Late Princeton Rally, 66-60, In Ivy Opener

January 05, 2019 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

PRINCETON, N.J. – The Penn Quakers held off a late Princeton Tigers rally with a 66-60 decision at Jadwin Gym on Saturday afternoon.

Bella Alarie earned her 23rd career double-double, posting 21 points and 17 rebounds, along with four helpers and three blocks. The junior is now tied for second all-time in program history in double-doubles with Margaret Meier '78 and Ellen DeVoe '86. She is 12 shy of Niveen Rasheed '13 (35). With her three swats, Alarie (156) is one off the all-time mark set by DeVoe.

Carlie Littlefield added 13 points, four assists, while Gabrielle Rush hit three treys and swiped four passes.

Following a three-pointer from Rush put the Tigers ahead, 7-4, the Quakers ran off 12 straight to before taking an 18-11 advantage into the second stanza.

Consecutive three-pointers from Littlefield and McKenna Haire got the Tigers within one, 23-22, with 5:51 left in the first half, but the Quakers answered with a trey a minute later. This three-pointer from Littlefield, again, got the Tigers as close as one, but the Quakers held a 33-28 advantage at the break.

Penn 33, Princeton 28 | HT
Carlie pulls the Tigers within one, but the Quakers lead at the break.
Watch - https://t.co/bDCSapaAKK #RiseAsOne pic.twitter.com/fL1dG82yQ3
— Princeton WBB (@PrincetonWBB) January 5, 2019

The Quakers couldn't pull away in the third stanza as Princeton retook the lead on this bucket from Taylor Baur.

Princeton 38, Penn 37 | 2:43 3rd
What a pass by Sydney! This finish from Taylor Baur puts the Tigers on top for the first time since the first quarter.
Watch - https://t.co/bDCSapaAKK #RiseAsOne pic.twitter.com/ybrrrbkoQE
— Princeton WBB (@PrincetonWBB) January 5, 2019

It was the first time that home squad was in front since the first quarter. The Tigers ended the quarter with an 8-2 run jumping ahead, 44-39, after 30 minutes. After allowing 33 points in the first half, Princeton gave up six points in the third frame.

The road unit remained within striking distance of Princeton before a basket from beyond the arc from Phoebe Sterba put the road squad up, 50-48, halfway through the stanza. Rush hit an another long-range bucket a minute later, before consecutive scores gave the Quakers a four-point lead (56-52) as the clock read 3:08.

Penn held a seven-point advantage (61-54) with 54 seconds to go, but the Tigers knocked down consecutive three-pointers including this one from Rush …

Penn 61, Princeton 60 | 0:24 4th
The quick release by Rush and she knocks it through! Penn ball as the shot clock gets turned off for this crucial possession.
Watch - https://t.co/bDCSapaAKK #RiseAsOne pic.twitter.com/sTgrHhc9IR
— Princeton WBB (@PrincetonWBB) January 5, 2019

The Tigers had a chance to extend the game into overtime, but the Quakers sank five from the charity stripe to secure the victory.

Sterba had a team-best 21 points for the Quakers behind an impressive 5-of-7 from deep. Princess Aghayere had a double-double (12 points, 12 rebounds), while Eleah Parker had 14 points, seven rebounds and five blocks in the win.

Princeton dropped to 8-8 this season and Penn improved to 9-2 overall. The Tigers will take a break for finals before getting into the heart of the Ivy League season starting in the first week of February with a trip to Columbia and Cornell.

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