Get schooled.
Game of the Week
Harvard (5-11, 1-0 Ivy) at Dartmouth (5-8, 0-1 Ivy) – Friday, January 11, 7:00 pm ET
The Crimson romped in the first leg of the home-and-home this past weekend, and now it’s the Big Green who finds itself mired in a losing streak after a disastrous four-game road trip that included losses by 22, 26, and 35 points. In the initial meeting, Harvard dominated inside, repeatedly getting the better of Dartmouth in the low post and building up a huge first-half lead.
Game of the Week
Princeton (2-6) at Penn State (4-4) – Wednesday, December 12, 7:00 pm ET – ESPNU
Mired in a six-game losing streak the Tigers badly need a win. They’ll have their work cut out for them, as Princeton is winless in five games away from home, while Penn State is 4-0 at the Bryce Jordan Center this season. So far the Ivy League has enjoyed some success against the Big Ten, winning two of three head-to-head meetings, but for that trend to continue, the Tigers will need to play much better than they did last time out against Evansville. The game will be shown nationally for those fortunate enough to get ESPNU, so it would be the perfect time for Princeton to get off the schneid.
Game of the Week
Brown (4-3) at Providence (5-1) – Sunday, December 9, 7:00 pm
Brown has looked like a first-division Ivy team thus far in the season, and the Bears will be looking for their second major conference win of the season — and second in a row over their city rivals — when they take on Providence this weekend. There’s no doubt last season’s 51-41 loss to Brown will be fresh in the minds of the Friar coaches and players when they take the court at the Dunkin Donuts Center on Sunday. Providence has won five of six to begin the season, with the only loss coming against Miami in San Juan. The game could provide a measuring stick for Brown, as the Friars beat Harvard already by 23 points. The Bears haven’t won back-to-back games in the city series since a sweep in the 1954-55 season — back when the two teams played twice per season.
Game of the Week
Penn (22-8, 13-1 Ivy) vs. TBA – March 15 or 16
It’s been nearly a decade since the Ivy League’s last NCAA Tournament win, and given Penn’s showings against major conference opponents this year, changing that history will be a very difficult task. Then again, last season nobody gave the Quakers a chance as a tough-luck 15 seed against a Texas team deemed worthy of a top seed, and yet Penn came very close to pulling off a stunning upset. The key will be slowing down tempo and resisting the urge to try to get out and run on an opponent with superior quickness and athleticism. After that, it’s all about limiting second-chance opportunities by the opposition and, as always, making shots. If Penn can shoot the three like it did last year against the Longhorns and get a much better game out of Ibby Jaaber, it just might have a shot.
Game of the Week
Yale (13-12, 9-3 Ivy) at Penn (19-8, 10-1 Ivy) – Friday, March 2, 7:00 pm
This one feels very anticlimactic after it looked like it could be for the Ivy title as recently as Saturday, however Yale’s blowout loss at home to Columbia changed all that. The game still has championship implications, but really only in the sense that Penn can clinch the league with a win. The Bulldogs aren’t out of it officially, but they would have to sweep the Ps on the road while needing the Quakers also to lose either against Brown on Saturday or Princeton on Tuesday.