After beginning its Ivy League title defense with an unimpressive 69-59 loss to Princeton, the Penn women's basketball team can only hope that the opening defeat was little more than an untimely aberration.
Following an unfettered run through the Ivies last season and an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament, Penn was picked to finish second in preseason polls in the Ivy League this season.
Getting back to the NCAAs, however, will require better than second-best in the Ancient Eight.
And with a slate of hungry competitors gunning for the Quakers, it is not going to be easy.
While only one other game in the Ancient Eight has been played so far -- Harvard defeated Dartmouth 88-77 on Jan. 5 -- Ivy League teams have nonetheless shined in the non-conference schedule.
Although the Crimson -- picked to finish first in the Ivies in the preseason poll -- own the most impressive early season wins, Columbia, Dartmouth and Yale have posted quality wins of their own.
An exciting Ancient Eight season seems to be the next logical step ...
Brown Bears (3-9)
Biggest Win: vs. Army, 65-56
Senior forward Rada Pavichevich has been the lone bright spot for Brown in an otherwise lackluster early season. The Bears captain leads the team in four statistical categories: points (12.8 ppg), steals (26), assists (27) and free throw percentage (72 percent).
Improving upon last year's 5-9 Ivy record will take more than Pavichevich's heroics, however. Sophomore Nyema Mitchell (11.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg) could prove to be the perfect compliment.
Brown begins Ivy play this weekend with a pair of games against Cornell and Columbia.
Columbia Lions (6-6)
Biggest Win: vs. Colgate, 67-63
After starting the season with a 3-2 record -- Columbia's best record after five games since 1989-90 -- the Lions dropped the next two games before closing out non-conference play winning three out of four.
Without a star, Columbia has used a balanced offensive attack.
Four Columbia starters -- a pair of Megans' (Megan O'Neill, Megan Bramlette) and a pair of Kerns' (Susan and Patricia) -- are averaging over 9 points per game.
Entering the Ivies will a full head of steam, Columbia begins conference play against Yale and Brown this weekend.
Cornell Big Red (6-7)
Biggest Win: vs. Lafayette, 71-60
After starting the season with five losses in six games, the Big Red captured its next four, including back-to-back 20-point victories over Centenary College and Coppin State.
Forwards Do Stevens and Karen Force have powered the Big Red upfront, leading the team with 14.3 points per game and 12.0 ppg respectively.
Cornell kicks off its Ivy season against Brown and Yale.
Dartmouth Big Green (4-7, 0-1)
Biggest Win: vs. Maine, 81-72
The Big Green, after an impressive 8-6 campaign last season in the Ivy League, head into the Ancient Eight this season having already picked up three crucial non-conference victories.
With four of its losses having come by a combined seven points, this team --given a bit more help from Lady Luck -- could very easily be 8-3.
Leading the way for the Big Green has been junior forward Katharine Hanks. The 6-foot-1 star has been dominant in the early going, averaging 21.5 ppg along with 8.9 rpg.
While Hanks has starred, Kerri Downs (17.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.5 apg) has emerged as a capable sidekick.
After being tripped up by Harvard in its first Ivy League game, the Big Green enter the weekend's games against Penn and Princeton looking to pick up their first conference victory.
Harvard Crimson (9-4, 1-0)
Biggest Win: vs. Rhode Island, 86-82
After emerging from a challenging non-conference schedule with nine victories, the Crimson showed that they are ready to dominate the Ivy League in their first conference game, handing Dartmouth an 88-77 defeat.
In the triumph, sophomore forward Hana Peltjo was simply sensational, scoring 36 points and snatching 11 rebounds. Couple Peltjo's effort with freshman Reka Cserny's 15 points -- the Hungarian has already earned Ivy-League player of the week honors four times -- and Harvard has a one-two punch ready to romp through the Ivies.
On tap for Harvard this weekend are a pair of road games at Princeton and Penn.
Princeton Tigers (7-5, 1-0)
Biggest Win: vs. Penn, 66-56
The Tigers followed up their hot start with a big win in their first Ivy contest defeating the Quakers 66-56. In the victory, senior Lauren Rigney dominated the interior, scoring 20 points and took a game-high 3 charges.
Princeton has won its first Ivy League game for thee first time since the 1998-99 season. The Tigers went onto start the season 6-0 before losing to Dartmouth.
Both Harvard and The Big Green will make trips to Jadwin Gymnasium this weekend.
Yale Elis (6-6)
Biggest Win: vs. Hartford, 48-47
Despite missing its top player -- second team All-Ivy selection, Maria Smear -- for its first 12 games, the Elis were able to pick up a few big non-conference wins and head into Ivy play with a .500 record.
Smear's return this weekend could not have come at a better time.
Back for this weekend's games against Columbia and Cornell, the Elis are desperately in need of increased scoring -- Yale is averaging slightly over 63 points per game -- and the 5-foot-11 junior (11.6 ppg in 2001) will be more than capable of filling the void.
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