I don’t think anyone could have predicted or even i imagined that the Tigers would-be 12 -1 and ranked in the top 25 entering Ivy play with the OOC schedule that they have faced this year. It hasn’t always been pretty, with numerous come from behind wins. But in their own words, they have been tough and gritty when it counts the most. The George Mason game may have been the most miraculous ‘snatch victory from the jaws of defeat’ game I have ever seen, men or women, and I go back a long way. At least to the early 60s, (yes, pre-Bill Bradley days)
One thing that has now become more and more obvious is how devasting the loss of Maddie St. Rose was last year. Had she not missed most of the season. and even more important, the entire Ivy season, there is little doubt in my mind that their run of consecutive Ivy championships and Ivy Tournament Championships would still be intact. I get the feeling the team also feels this way and are hungry to reclaim their title.
There have been a couple of concerns raised by multiple posters throughout the course of the season to this point that appear to have been answered. One is the Tigers’ lack of size and the loss of Tabitha Amanze. While the Tigers may lack size on paper, but as the old saying goes, the games aren’t played on paper, they have more than held their own on the boards. Despite having a size advantage, it was a 5’6” guard that gave the Tigers fits vs. Temple. Tall and Hutcherson are terrific rebounders and none of the Ivy’s have a Bella Alaire type that will make it impossible for them to defend. Sure, it would have been nice to have Amanze back, but her loss is merely potential. Noone can know for sure how that would have played out. She hadn’t played that much as a Tiger, mostly due to injury. I don’t feel lack of height will be a problem until, obviously the NCAA Tournament. The better teams always have strong bigs that are a difficult match up with for mid-majors.
The other concern that many people have voiced is that the Tigers don’t have much depth. Personally, I don’t find this to be much of an issue. Unless half the team gets injured or becomes academically ineligible or something along that line. They have 11 players on their roster as opposed to as many as16 - 20 that some teams may have. So what. Half of those 16 or 20 never see the floor except possibly during garbage time. In games that are back and forth and tight throughout the entirety, usually only 7 or 8 players at best play significant minutes.
Don’t want to sound cocky or overconfident but it wouldn’t shock me if the Tigers ran the table again this Ivy season. Not saying they will, but it’s certainly possible. I think the rest of the league has a much bigger problem trying to figure out how to handle Princeton than the Tigers have dealing with the other seven Ivies. Call me bias, but until I see something to make me feel otherwise, that’s the way I see it.