PU hoops aiming for fourth straight Ivy crown
By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
Courtney Banghart doesn’t shy away from challenges for her Princeton University women’s basketball team.
The Tigers have won three straight Ivy League championships and they are in pursuit of their fourth straight, Banghart has set up an impressive list of opponents to get her team prepared for the battles in the Ivy League.
”I think the biggest danger is this is a team that hasn’t learned how to lose,” said Banghart, whose team is 74-13 overall and 41-1 in the Ivy League over the last three years. “Our schedule is really challenging. So we might have to lick our wounds earlier than we would otherwise have to. But it is worth it if we get better.
”The only games we can schedule are the 14 non-conference and I am going to do whatever I can to get them ready. It is probably the toughest schedule, by choice, in the country and we’ll be ready.”
Princeton opens the season on Sunday at St. Joseph’s — which won 22 games last year — and will play the likes of Rutgers, UCLA, Villanova and DePaul. The Tigers want to be as prepared as possible for not just the Ivy season, but beyond as they seek to get that elusive NCAA tournament win.
”Fortunately, I don’t have to make the goals,” Banghart said. “My job is to make sure they set the goals and I help them reach them. Their goals are very unified. They want to win the league. They want to make some noise non-conference. And getting that post-season win means more to them than I can put into words. That is why we have the schedule we do.”
Princeton returns the top player in the Ivy League — Niveen Rasheed — as well as the two-time Ivy Defensive Player of the Year — Lauren Polansky. There will be graduation holes to fill, but Meg Bowen and Kate Miller joining Rasheed and Polansky there is a great senior core to build around.
”We have four seniors that are completely relentless warriors,” Banghart said. “They have been that way for three years so they have a lot of experience and we will lean on them early and often.
”There is no complacency in these guys. We have gotten good here with some different characteristics. One is toughness, two is just being all-out competitive, and also accountability. So if you have those things every single day you are getting better. The seniors are four years better than they were and the juniors are three years better and all the way down the line.”
With Lauren Edwards and Devona Allgood having graduated, Banghart knows their roles will not easily be filled. Getting some players to take the next step forward will be a key in how this team progresses.
”We have a primary threat in Niveen and I’d like to see everybody else recognize they are no longer role players and that they are pivotal players,” said Banghart, whose team will play its home opener on Nov. 20 against Rider. “As long as we continue to rebound and be relentless they’ll get theirs. We’re not to that point yet.
”I think you’ll see our two juniors, Nicole Hung and Kristen Helmstetter, play a lot of minutes. One of them will be starting and the other will be coming in early and often. Those two kids, they’ve guarded the stars we’ve graduated the last two years. They are ready and I am excited that everyone else will see what I have seen the last two years.”
One thing Banghart knows for sure is when the opener comes on Sunday her team will be ready.
”The way we practice, these kids give me so much confidence going into games,” Banghart said. “So far we’ve had three scrimmages and we’ve learned a lot about ourselves. I’d say so far they are excited, but focused.”