Women's Basketball Preview for March 1-2

Complete Women's Basketball Weekly Release in pdf format

PRINCETON, N.J. -- A number of possibilities loom this weekend as the race to the Ivy League women’s basketball crown nears the finish line.

The highlight of the weekend will be Princeton (18-5, 9-0 Ivy) and Penn (14-9, 7-2 Ivy) traveling to Dartmouth (6-17, 4-5 Ivy) and Harvard (15-8, 6-3 Ivy). The Tigers could win their fourth-straight Ivy title with a sweep and a pair of losses by Penn. The Quakers, meanwhile, could clinch at least second-place with a sweep of their own and two Harvard losses. The Crimson, on the other hand, stand one game behind Penn and look to avenge its 77-72 loss from earlier this season.

Princeton has won 33-straight League games, an all-time Ivy record and second in the country only to No. 1 Baylor, which has won 38-straight regular-season conference games. The Tigers show no signs of letting up, winning their conference contests by an average of 33.2 points per game in 2012-13. Princeton’s closest games this season were against the two teams it will face this weekend, as it defeated Dartmouth, 67-55, and Harvard, 67-51. Senior Niveen Rasheed is averaging career-highs in points (17.0) and rebounds (9.1) – both League-bests – to lead the Tigers.

The last time Penn faced Harvard and Dartmouth, the Quakers were in fourth-place while their two opponents were tied for second. Penn’s sweep of the two teams gave it sole possession of second-place, a spot it has yet to relinquish. Harvard will look to even the season series with the Quakers and tie or take over second-place in the standings.

After winning five of six games, Dartmouth has dropped four in a row. The Big Green hope to get back on track at home against the Quakers and Tigers. Meanwhile, Brown (8-16, 2-8 Ivy) and Yale (10-14, 5-5 Ivy) will host Columbia (3-20, 1-8 Ivy) and Cornell (11-12, 3-6 Ivy). The Bears hope to avenge their last-second 60-58 defeat they suffered at the hands of the Big Red on Feb. 16, while the Bulldogs have won three of their past four to move to fourth-place in the standings and hope to continue to move up the ladder.

Cornell (11-12, 3-6 Ivy) at Brown (8-16, 2-8 Ivy)
Date: Friday, March 1 – 6 p.m.
Location: Pizzitola Sports Center • Providence, R.I.
Cornell – Brown Series: Brown leads, 46-21
Last Meeting: Cornell 60, Brown 58 • 2/16/13 • Ithaca, N.Y.
Live Stats | Video | Audio
Cornell Game Notes | Brown Game Notes

Princeton (18-5, 9-0 Ivy) at Harvard (15-8, 6-3 Ivy)
Date: Friday, March 1 – 7 p.m.
Location: Lavietes Pavilion • Cambridge, Mass.
Princeton-Harvard Series: Harvard leads, 38-33
Last Meeting: Princeton 67, Harvard 51 • 2/16/13 • Princeton, N.J.
Live Stats | Video | Audio
Princeton Game Notes | Harvard Game Notes

Columbia (3-20, 1-8 Ivy) at Yale (10-14, 5-5 Ivy)
Date: Friday, March 1 – 7 p.m.
Location: John J. Lee Amphitheater • New Haven, Conn.
Columbia – Yale Series: Yale leads, 40-17
Last Meeting: Yale 62, Columbia 43 • 2/16/13 • New York
Live Stats | Video
Columbia Game Notes | Yale Game Notes

Penn (14-9, 7-2 Ivy) at Dartmouth (6-17, 4-5 Ivy)
Date: Friday, March 1 – 7 p.m.
Location: Leede Arena • Hanover, N.H.
Penn-Dartmouth Series: Dartmouth leads, 42-26
Last Meeting: Penn 63, Dartmouth 40 • 2/16/13 • Philadelphia
Live Stats | Video | Audio
Penn Game Notes | Dartmouth Game Notes

Penn at Harvard
Date: Saturday, March 2 – 6 p.m.
Location: Lavietes Pavilion • Cambridge, Mass.
Penn-Harvard Series: Harvard leads, 48-22
Last Meeting: Penn 77, Harvard 72 • 2/15/13 • Philadelphia
Live Stats | Video
Penn Game Notes | Harvard Game Notes

Cornell at Yale
Date: Saturday, March 2 – 6 p.m.
Location: John J. Lee Amphitheater • New Haven, Conn.
Cornell – Yale Series: Yale leads, 46-22
Last Meeting: Yale 67, Cornell 58 • 2/15/13 • Ithaca, N.Y.
Live Stats | Video
Cornell Game Notes | Yale Game Notes

Columbia at Brown
Date: Saturday, March 2 – 6 p.m.
Location: Pizzitola Sports Center • Providence, R.I.
Columbia – Brown Series: Brown leads, 37-16
Last Meeting: Columbia 62, Brown 51 • 2/15/13 • New York
Live Stats | Video | Audio
Columbia Game Notes | Brown Game Notes

Princeton at Dartmouth
Date: Saturday, March 2 – 7 p.m.
Location: Leede Arena • Hanover, N.H.
Princeton-Dartmouth Series: Dartmouth leads, 43-26
Last Meeting: Princeton 77, Dartmouth 65 • 2/15/13 • Princeton, N.J.
Live Stats | Video | Audio
Princeton Game Notes | Dartmouth Game Notes