Princeton (8-7)
Div I Opponents Win Rate: 53.3 percent (#108, nationally)
12/29 at New Hampshire, 90-42
The Tigers have won seven straight, outscoring those opponents by an average of 72.3 to 49.6. For the season, they are leading the league in free throw (79.6 percent; #6 nationally) and second in three point (33.3 percent; #86) shooting. The two point shooting is last in the league (43.9 percent; #175), but is quickly improving with the return of Bella Alarie (19.3 ppg; 55.3 percent from two) and Taylor Baur (11.0 ppg; 60.0 percent from two) to the starting lineup. The defense is controlling the paint with a 13.7 block rate (#2 Ivy; #14), as well as holding rivals to 66.7 percent from the free throw line (#3 Ivy; 113) and 41.8 percent from two (#4 Ivy; 95). While they are last in defensive three point shooting (34.4 percent; #289) for the season, in their last seven games the Orange & Black have held teams to 28.6 percent (38-133) from beyond the arc.
Penn (8-2)
Div I Opponents Win Rate: 41.8 percent (#296)
12/31 at Stetson, 75-53
The Quakers have won four in a row and seven of their last eight. The defense is second in the country in points allowed (49.0 ppg), as well as fifth in two point (34.7 percent), 12th in block rate (14.1 percent), 16th in three point (25.2 percent) and 27th in free throw (62.3 percent) shooting. They are also strong on the boards with a 37.7 percent rage on offense (#1 Ivy; #57 nationally) and a 71.6 percent rate on defense (#2 Ivy; #56). The offense, meanwhile, is fifth in the Ivy League in points scored (63.5 ppg; #183), fourth from two (46.6 percent; #97), fifth from three (30.1 percent; #188) and last from the charity stripe (61.0; #312).
Harvard (7-6)
Div I Opponents Win Rate: 54.8 percent (#95)
12/28 at Rhode Island, 80-47
12/31 at Cal, 85-79
The Crimson are now on a three game win streak, after losing their three previous contests. Harvard is leading the Ivy League in two and three point shooting with 35.6 percent (#54 nationally) and 47.9 percent, respectively, while their 9.4 made threes per game are 21st in the country. They also continue to lead the conference in assists with 16.4 per contest (#27) and a 67.1 rate (#16). Defensively, they are limiting teams to 63.7 points per game (6th Ivy; #135) on 37.6 percent two point (#2 Ivy; #26), 31.5 percent three point (6th Ivy; #187) and 69.9 percent free throw (#5 Ivy; #199) shooting. Their rebounding is fifth on the defensive side (67.8 percent; #153) and fourth on offense (33.8 percent; #143).
Yale (10-5)
Div I Opponents Win Rate: 47.0 percent (#271)
12/28 vs St. Louis, 58-52 (at FAU Holiday Classic)
12/29 vs North Carolina A&T (at FAU Holiday Classic)
The Bulldogs have won five in a row, and six of their last seven. Coach Allison Guth’s squad is strong on defense, holding teams to 57.9 points per game (#3 Ivy; #54 nationally) on 37.9 percent two point (#2 Ivy; #24) and 29.0 three point (#4 Ivy; #96) shooting. They are also one of the nation’s best inside the paint, limiting second chances with a 76.3 defensive rebounding rate (#1 Ivy; #6) and an 11.1 percent block rate (#3 Ivy; #54). The offense, though, is not as efficient. Yale is at, or near, the bottom of the league with 61.7 points per game (#7 Ivy; #209), 24.5 percent three point shooting (#8; #331) and 63.6 percent free throw shooting (#7 Ivy; #280). While the team’s 45.4 percent shooting from two is sixth in the Ancient Eight (#129), it has gotten a boost from the emergence of its two underclass front court starters Camilla Emsbo (54.5 percent) and Alex Cade (50.7 percent).
Dartmouth (7-6)
Division I Opponents Win Rate: 41.0 percent (#306)
12/29 at Boston College, 68-99
12/31 vs Binghamton, 63-39
The Big Green may be fifth in the Ivy League in scoring with 63.6 points a game (#181, nationally), but they are near the top of the conference in all aspects of their shooting. They are hitting 47.7 percent from two (#2 Ivy; #76), 32.1 percent from three (#3 Ivy; #131) and 69.4 percent from the free throw line (#2 Ivy; #154). The relatively low point production is more of a reflection of their deliberate pace (68.3 possessions per 40 minutes; #294). When they are missing shots, they are doing a good job using their 35.0 percent offensive rebounding rate (#2 Ivy; #104) to get additional opportunities for buckets. Although doing an excellent job limiting teams to 58.4 points a game (#4 Ivy; #58) and 62.6 percent shooting from the line (#2 Ivy; #30), the defense is not as elite as some of its Ancient Eight rivals. Dartmouth is presently sixth in the conference, allowing teams to shoot 44.4 percent from two (#173) and 30.6 percent (#148) from three, while the Big Green is seventh with a 67.1 defensive rebounding rate (#179).
Brown (8-8)
Division I Opponents Win Rate: 42.3 percent (#294)
12/30 at Chicago State, 90-65
12/31 at Northern Illinois, 102-109 2OT
1/2 at Adelphi, 75-62
1/4 at Rutgers, 52-73
The Bears possess the league’s most prolific and up-tempo offense with 74.5 points per game (#49, nationally) and 77.5 possessions per 40 minutes (#21). However, their shooting numbers are in the middle of the Ivy League pack with 31.0 percent from three (#4 Ivy; #165), 46.3 percent from two (#6 Ivy; #109) and 67.9 percent from the charity stripe (#5 Ivy; #195). Defensively, Brown is allowing 74.5 points per game for the season (#8 Ivy; #311) and 77.4 points to Division 1 opponents (#329). For the year, teams are only shooting 28.2 percent from three (#3 Ivy; #77), but hitting 46.2 percent from two (#8 Ivy; #234). On the glass, Bruno is grabbing 28.2 percent of the boards on offense (#8 Ivy; #289) and 66.6 percent on defense (#7 Ivy; #188). Both numbers decline to 26.1 percent (#318) and 65.5 percent (#224), respectively, when looking at games against their 14 Division 1 opponents.
Cornell (6-5)
Division I Opponents Win Rate: 42.8 percent (#287)
12/28 vs Hampton, 79-53
12/31 vs St. Bonaventure, 58-44
The Red have won their last four in a row, and were looking forward to extending it to five against Vermont Technical College on Jan. 7, but the game was cancelled on Friday. There is no word, as of yet, if there will be another game in its place. If not, they will have to wait until they host Columbia on the 19th to try and extend their streak. Cornell is leading the Ivy League with a 25 three-point shooting defense (#11, nationally) and a 14.6 percent steal rate (#33), as well as being second with 56.9 points allowed (#37) and fourth with a 41 percent effective field goal rate (#53). They are also in the upper division in rebounding with a 34.9 percent rate of offense (3rd Ivy; #109) and 69.1 percent rate on defense (4th Ivy; #114). On the offensive side, the Red is last in the conference with 61.6 points per game (#218), primarily due to their low 22.2 percent three point shooting rate (#8 Ivy; #303) and 26.9 percent accuracy (#7 Ivy; #285). Their 46.9 percent two point shooting, though, is good enough for third in the league (#93) and is a huge improvement from last year’s 37.9 percent (#333).
Columbia (3-9)
Division I Opponents Win Rate: 47.0 percent (#220)
12/29 vs Albany, 58-62
1/2 vs Hampton, 88-63
After winning their first two games of the season, the Lions lost their next nine, before sophomore Riley Casey’s 31 point performance helped lead Columbia to a win against Hampton on Wednesday night. The young Lions, who only have two juniors in their top 10 rotation players, are solidly in the middle of the Ivy League’s offensive metrics. They are fourth with 65.5 points per game (#149), 46.4 percent effective field goal rate (#116) and 68.4 percent field goal shooting (#181), while being fifth with 46.4 percent two point (#103) and 30.9 percent three point shooting (#169). On the defensive side, however, they are seventh with 69.1 points allowed (#252), a 45.8 percent effective field goal rate (#192) and 45.9 percent two point shooting (#225). They are also having concerns on the boards, with a 29.7 percent offensive rebounding rate (#5 Ivy; #257) and 65.0 defensive rate (#8 Ivy; #241).
Mid-Season Ancient Eight Top Eight (expanded edition)
Bella Alarie – Princeton (junior. forward)
19.3 points per game, 8.3 rebounds per game, 3.2 assists per game, 3.8 blocks per game, 52.1% FG
Laura Bagwell-Katalinich – Cornell (junior, forward)
14.0 points per game, 7.2 rebounds per game, 2.0 assists per game, 1.6 steals per game, 48.5% FG, 91.7% FT
Roxy Barahman – Yale (junior, guard)
20.1 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game, 3.5 assists per game, 2.3 steals per game
Katie Benzan – Harvard (junior, guard)
14.5 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game, 5.0 assists per game, 3.7 made threes per game, 38.1 percent from three, 1.6 steals per game
Camilla Emsbo – Yale (first-year, forward)
11.1 points per game, 8.9 rebounds per game, 1.8 blocks per game, 50.4 percent from the field
Justine Gaziano – Brown (junior, guard)
18.8 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per game, 2.2 made threes per game, 48.3 percent from the field, 37.2 percent from three
Shayna Mehta – Brown (senior, guard)
16.8 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game, 5.1 assists per game, 3.1 steals per game, 2.3 made threes per game, 73.3% FT
Eleah Parker – Penn (sophomore, forward)
13.2 points per game, 8.3 rebounds per game, 3.3 blocks per game, 49.1 percent from field
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Sienna Durr – Columbia (first-year, forward)
15.0 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game, 1.5 assists per game, 50.0% FG, 75.5% FT
Carlie Littlefield – Princeton (sophomore, guard)
13.6 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, 2.7 assists per game, 1.9 steals per game, 41.3% 3PT
Isalys Quinones – Dartmouth (senior, forward)
13.5 points per game, 6.5 rebounds per game, 1.9 assists per game, 47.9 FG%, 73.0% FT
Ashley Russell – Penn (senior, guard)
11.1 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game, 4.1 assists per game, 38.5% 3PT
Sydney Skinner – Harvard (senior, guard)
12.5 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game, 3.7 assists per game, 2.4 made threes per game, 38.8% 3PT