The second meeting between the Tigers and the Big Red was a bigger blowout than the first. On Jan. 8, the Berube Brigade rolled over the Big Red in Ithaca, 65-41. This evening’s rematch at Jadwin Gym was a defensive tour de force for the Tigers as they held Cornell to 9.25 points per quarter while scoring 18.75 themselves.
The result was a 75-37 thrashing.
The stage is now set for the much anticipated showdown between the League’s two remaining unbeaten teams, Princeton (15-4, 7-0) and Columbia (16-3, 7-0) Saturday afternoon at 5 p.m. The strong likelihood is that these squads will face each other three times this season.
Berube’s 21st straight conference victory was achieved early. (Incidentally, the longest league winning streak at the start of a career was achieved by Bill Carmody after he succeeded Pete Carril. Bill won his first 34.) The Tigers jumped on Cornell in the first quarter, 18-5. Another single-digit defensive effort in the second period sent the teams to the locker room with the Tigers up, 35-14. Although Berube went deep on her bench for the second half the Tigers never led by less than 20, outscoring the visitors by 17.
Grace Stone had another productive night for Princeton, leading the team with 14 points. Stone, Julia Cunningham and Ellie Mitchell each grabbed seven rebounds. Abby Meyers (12) and Cunningham (11) joined Stone in double figures. No Big Red player managed more than Samantha Will’s eight points.
Obviously, the game within the game tomorrow is the matchup between Columbia’s remarkable post player, Kaitlyn Davis, and the Tigers’ rebounder extraordinaire, Ellie Mitchell. Davis and Abby Meyers are locked in a fierce battle for Ivy Player of the Year honors, while Mitchell is building a strong case for Defensive Player of the Year. Both teams are deep, extremely talented and very well-coached. This promises to be a real pier-sixer!