Tigers excited to draw St. John’s for Saturday’s opener
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
The Princeton University women’s basketball team had known for nine days that it was going to the NCAA Tournament, but it didn’t dampen the excitement when their tournament pairing was finally announced Monday.
”It was just an amazing feeling,” said PU’s Niveen Rasheed, the Ivy League Rookie of the Year. “I don’t think we knew how amazing it would feel to see ‘Princeton’ on ESPN. It’s awesome.”
The Tigers waited together in front of a big-screen TV at Triumph Brewing Company on Nassau St. through three regions and half of the Dayton Region before they saw their own name — an 11 seed taking on sixth-seeded St. John’s. The teams tip off 12:21 p.m. Saturday in Tallahassee, Fla. It is Princeton’s first trip to the NCAAs, and the 11th seed is the highest for an Ivy team ever.
”It’s everyone’s dream to play in this tournament,” Rasheed said. “I watched every year the selection process, final fours, and just to be a part of this is just a dream come true.
”I don’t think it’s hit me yet. I think it’ll hit me once we get on that plane. It’s all surreal. It’s a dream come true.”
It’s been one dream after another for the freshman forward from Danville, Calif. She leads the Tigers in points per game (15.6), rebounds per game (8.8), assists (80) and steals (63). She has started all 28 games and recorded double-doubles 10 times.
”I knew she was fiercely competitive,” said Princeton head coach Courtney Banghart. “I knew she had a ton of talent, and I knew she had a lot of game savvy. But in terms of how to adjust to the college scene, she’s had more of an impact her freshman year than anyone in history that I’ve read about. And I’m a student of the game. That kid’s been so instrumental to what we’re doing, it’s really special.”
The Tigers are 26-2 overall, put together a 14-0 Ivy campaign, and have won 21 straight overall. All this despite starting one junior, two sophomores and two freshmen through the majority of this season.
”I hope people underestimate us,” Rasheed said. “I don’t think they know that we really want this, we’re hungry for it and we’re not going to go out just like we made the tournament. We’re going out to win.”
St. John’s is 24-6 and put together a 12-4 Big East record. They earned an at-large bid, but are no more experienced than Princeton in NCAA play. It’s their first berth in the NCAA Tournament since 2006.
”I’d love for our kids to play as hard as they have all year,” said Banghart, who has been to four NCAA Tournaments as a player and assistant at Dartmouth. “And I’d love for them to be hard to score on, which we take a lot of pride in. Our kids can compete against a lot of teams in this country, and our goal is to show everyone that.”
In doing so, the Tigers will have a chance to show how good Rasheed is. She spurned some more accomplished programs to play for Princeton, and the Tigers have reaped the rewards.
”The bigger the game, the better Niveen plays,” Banghart said. “She’s been incredibly consistent over the course of our season. She’s just as big in practices. The kid’s really, really tremendous. I think St. John’s is about to find out she’s a really tough matchup. She has an endless motor. The bigger the game, the better she plays. We’ll all see that at the NCAA Tournament.”
Rasheed played every position on the floor for Monte Vista High, which has helped her make a smooth transition to a flexible role as one of the Tiger wing players. The 6-footer is never the tallest on the court, but she has a way of coming up with rebounds and loose balls.
”I just want the ball,” she said. “I see the ball bouncing around, and I know I have to get it and push the pace for our offense. I think it’s just a lot of the competitive spirit of our team, our toughness. I’m undersized to play in the post, but I use my athleticism and my discipline to box out because I know sometimes I can’t out-jump someone. But I just really want the ball.
”I didn’t know if I was going to make a huge impact,” she added, “but I wanted to win games for my teammates, whatever it takes. I don’t care. I hate losing.”
Rasheed gives kind of a half giggle when she says it, but it’s clear that losing is not an option that she considers favorably. Her attitude has helped to bring Princeton to a level never seen in program history.
”I knew Princeton was going on the up rise,” Rasheed said. “That’s why I committed here, because I knew this team was going to be a special team. I knew we were going to win. Our hopes and goals were to win Ivies and make it to this, but I don’t think it ever clicked to us how amazing it would feel through this whole process and everything that happened. It’s been a dream come true.”