JUSTIN TIME

By: centraljersey.com
The player that single-handedly could put the Princeton University women’s basketball team on her back won’t be able to the rest of this season.
At least, not on the court.
Niveen Rasheed has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee on Dec. 29. Princeton resumes play Jan. 28 when the defending Ivy League champion Tigers return to the court at Brown.
"The loss of Niveen is clearly an obstacle," said PU women’s head coach Courtney Banghart on a recent Ivy conference call.
On top of losing the Ivy’s leading scorer and second-leading rebounder, the Tigers haven’t played a game since opening conference play with a 56-45 win over Pennsylvania on Jan. 8. That time could have been used to learn to play without Rasheed, except that practice time was limited due to the exam period. Still, Banghart is hopeful that the three wins without her are a precursor to the games to come.
"They had to piece it together quickly," Banghart said. "They beat Wake Forest and La Salle going into the Penn game.
"We have 20 days to get comfortable in our new situation."
The Tigers seemed to get over the emotional strain of losing a leader quickly, but the first stretch after their exam break will provide a bigger test. They are on the road at Brown and Yale, then go back on the road at Harvard and Dartmouth.
"We’ve always marveled at our depth," Banghart said. "Now is the time to see what the kids can do that have been coming off the bench."
Laura Johnson has stepped into Rasheed’s starting spot, but it will take more than one person to make up for everything that Rasheed was able to do. Now all that Rasheed is able to do is serve as an assistant coach while promising to return better than when she left, less than one year after winning the Ivy League Rookie of the Year award.
While Rasheed’s offense and rebounding are things that everyone sees pretty clearly, she also is tops in the Ivies in steals. Her defense was something that helped Princeton become so tough to beat. They lost just twice in the regular season last year, and have started this year 12-3, 9-3 with Rasheed.
"Offensively," Banghart said, "we have to find a rhythm for 40 minutes without a kid that makes plays the way she does."
The Tigers will also have to rebound better and play harder at the defensive end. It’s hard to imagine the offense being as dynamic without her in the halfcourt, and her defense helps to generate easy baskets in transition. Holding Penn to just 45 points was a move in the right direction. But there is still a long road to go.
It wasn’t a given that the Tigers would win the Ivy League with Rasheed, not with Harvard and Dartmouth accustomed to contending and not content to fall back last year. And last year, Princeton made history when it showed they could beat the powers on the road. To win the Ivy title again, they will likely have to at least earn a split on the road.
In last year’s road games, Rasheed had 10 points, eight rebounds, two assists and a staggering five steals against Dartmouth, then delivered 23 points and 10 rebounds in a win at Harvard. The Crimson had no answer for Rasheed at Jadwin Gym either as she put up 15 points and 15 rebounds in 29 minutes. Dartmouth made it a close game at Jadwin as they limited Rasheed to five points and four rebounds along with three assists. Princeton still won by nine, something that should give the returning Tigers encouragement going forward without her on the floor.
Princeton has not lost an Ivy game since Rasheed arrived at Old Nassau. Now they’ll have to win the league without her on the court.
"I love the fight of the group," Banghart said, repeating something that will be tested now more than ever.