2023-24 IHO preseason polls and what we’re watching for

With the start of the 2023-24 Ivy League basketball season just nine days away, Ivy Hoops Online presents our contributors’ predicted final standings.

Finishing atop the conference in the regular season has never been less important on the men’s side given the NCAA’s announcement Friday that for the 2024 NIT, conference regular-season champions that don’t win their conference tournament or are not given an at-large slot in the men’s NCAA Tournament will not receive an automatic bid to the NIT.

That news drew pushback from Ivy League Executive Director Robin Harris, who criticized not only the decision but how it came to be:

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Inside Ivy Hoops – Oct. 24, 2023

Welcome to the 2023-24 Ivy League basketball season preview edition of Inside Ivy Hoops. Ivy Hoops Online editor Mike Tony is joined by IHO writer Rob Browne for a wide-ranging discussion that takes stock of the Ivy men’s and women’s basketball preseason media polls and what to expect from all 16 teams, while also reflecting on off-the-court developments, including NIL (name, image and likeness), labor unionization momentum and more:

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Dartmouth names Linda Cimino new women’s basketball coach

Linda Cimino takes over Dartmouth women’s basketball after head coaching stints at St. Francis Brooklyn and Binghamton in Division I and Caldwell in Division II. (Dartmouth Athletics)

Dartmouth women’s basketball has chosen its third head coach since 2021.

Dartmouth athletics and recreation director Mike Harrity announced the selection of Linda Cimino as the program’s new head coach Tuesday.

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Adrienne Shibles out as Dartmouth women’s coach

(Dartmouth Athletics)

Just shy of two years into her tenure, Adrienne Shibles as stepped down as Dartmouth women’s basketball coach.

Dartmouth Athletics announced Shibles’ departure Monday in a short statement.

“We are thankful to Adrienne for her contributions to Dartmouth Athletics and wish her all the best moving forward,” athletics and recreation director Mike Harrity said in the statement.

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Inside Ivy Hoops 4-11-23

Ivy Hoops Online editor Mike Tony and IHO writer Rob Browne discuss memorable postseason runs for Princeton men’s and women’s basketball and Columbia and Harvard in the WNIT, the new “Big 5” (really City 6) Classic, the prospect and potential impact of athletic scholarships for Ivy hoopsters and much more:

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Columbia women fall short at Kansas in WNIT title game

 

The deepest run for an Ivy League team in WNIT history ended in defeat in the tournament final Saturday as Columbia fell at Kansas, 66-59, before an Allen Fieldhouse crowd of 11,701.

Horrid shooting and a disadvantage in the paint doomed the Lions in a defensive struggle they slowly but steadily lost control over in the second and third quarters, requiring a comeback effort that came up short.

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Columbia women advance to WNIT title game after holding off Bowling Green

 

Columbia women’s basketball’s second straight historic WNIT run will continue after a wire-to-wire win at Bowling Green in the tournament semifinal setting up the Lions for a shot at the title Saturday.

Columbia held off host Bowling Green in a 77-70 victory Wednesday night before a sold-out crowd of 4,155 at the Stroh Center. The Lions will play for a WNIT championship as the visiting team at Kansas  (24-11, 9-9 Big 12) Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

Columbia becomes the first team in Ivy League history to reach the WNIT championship game.

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Columbia advances to Ivy’s first ever WNIT Fab 4 by exacting revenge against Harvard

 

Columbia women’s basketball didn’t miss its unexpected shot at revenge at Levien Gym Sunday.

A dynamite third quarter proved just explosive enough for Columbia to hang on in a 77-71 win over Harvard, advancing to the Ivy League’s first ever WNIT Fab 4. Columbia’s triumph ended the Crimson’s season 16 days after their Ivy League Tournament of Columbia questionably compelled the NCAA selection committee to exclude the Lions from the NCAA Tournament.

“That loss really hurt us, and we wanted to kill them this game,” sophomore guard Kitty Henderson told ESPN3 after the game. “So we came out and showed them who should have won every single game against them.”

Columbia will face the winner of Monday’s matchup between Bowling Green and Florida.

Driving the Lions’ third win in four games against Harvard was a 34-point third-quarter that allowed them to build a 63-43 lead 40 seconds into the final frame after a first half that proved more of a defensive struggle than expected between the Ivy League’s top two offenses.

But Harvard mounted a furious comeback, delivering a 28-point fourth quarter that featured 11 points from standout sophomore guard Harmoni Turner and 3-for-7 team three-point shooting (versus Columbia’s 0-for-6 showing from three).

Harvard got as close as a 68-66 deficit with 3:27 to play off a three by senior guard McKenzie Forbes before Columbia stood tall, as Henderson responded with a layup and the Lions clamped down defensively, allowing just two more baskets the rest of the way.

Columbia had led 27-23 at halftime despite missing shots inside.

“I think honestly coming out of halftime, we were just like, make layups, guys,” Columbia coach Megan Griffith told ESPn3 postgame.

Senior guard/forward Kaitlyn Davis stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, leading her team in all three categories. Henderson posted 15 points, five assists and nine rebounds, including five offensive boards.

Harvard was led by Turner, who registered 23 points, seven assists and four boards, and sophomore guard Elena Rodriguez, who kept Harvard in the game early and finished with a 7-for-8 field-goal shooting clip and 15 points along with seven turnovers.

“When you have a kid like No. 14 [Turner] who can just get to the basket in about four seconds, it makes it difficult,” Griffith said. “But I was proud of our players for making sure we could weather that storm, and here we are going into the final four here.”

Harvard at Columbia in WNIT Great 8: What to watch for

Columbia and Harvard women’s basketball will square off for a fourth time this season Sunday at 4 p.m. at Levien Gym on ESPN3.

This time, a WNIT Fab 4 berth is on the line.

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Eight reasons to savor Princeton men’s NCAA Tournament run with Elite 8 a win away

Princeton Athletics’ pinned tweet on Twitter borrows the Sacramento Kings’ rallying call referring to a purple beam of light that comes from the Golden 1 Center after a team win. Princeton men’s basketball’s two wins at the Golden 1 Center lifted the program to its first Sweet 16 appearance of the modern NCAA Tournament era. (Princeton Athletics)

With the Elite 8 just a win away for No. 15 Princeton as it prepares for No. 6 Creighton in Louisville Friday, here are eight reasons for not only Tiger folk but the entire Ancient Eight to savor the Tigers’ historic Sweet 16 run:

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