By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
The seniors on the Princeton University women’s basketball team have been making history throughout their careers.
During their four years, the Tigers have completed an undefeated regular season, earned a single-digit seed in the NCAA tournament and also won a game in the NCAA tournament.
On Monday they added another notch to their belt when they became the first team in Ivy League history to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Princeton is a No. 11 seed will face No. 6 West Virginia on Friday at noon in Columbus, Ohio. The game will be televised on ESPNU.
“It’s a special moment for us at Princeton,” said PU coach Courtney Banghart, whose team finished the regular season with a 23-5 record. “It’s an unbelievable honor to be in the NCAA tournament. We feel like we played a very difficult schedule and we are grateful the selection committee rewarded us for our body of work. Being the first team in Ivy League history to earn an at-large bid is something that will stay with us forever.”
This will be the third trip to the NCAA tournament for the seniors on the roster. But it was the first time they needed to sweat out the selection show to see if they would be part of the tournament field.
“It was just a completely surreal moment,” senior Taylor Williams said. “The last couple days, either way we knew we were going into post-season play. Having no idea who you are playing it can be a kind of emotional because time if really ticking down, especially for our senior group. To see that not only did we earn an at-large bid for the first time in Ivy League history, but to see where we are going and getting another shot at something this senior class has been working towards for these four years, it is hard to put into words.”
The Tigers were 12-2 in Ivy play, losing twice to Penn, which earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. While the Quakers were able to watch the selection show knowing they were in the field, the Tigers were clearly on the bubble and were ecstatic when they saw their name announced as part of the tournament.
“Being on the bubble, you know there is really nothing you can do,” senior Alex Wheatley said. “We came back after the Penn loss and got after it for a week because we didn’t know what our fate was. We had a couple of really good practices and we found out (Monday) it was worth it. Those hard practices made us better for this week.
“This season there has been a lot to be proud of. Seeing our name on the board with an at-large bid for the Ivy League was amazing. It’s an honor to represent the league with Penn.”
The Tigers continued to practice after the loss to Penn. They figured to at least earn a bid to the WNIT, but were rewarded with a spot in the NCAA field.
“To get an at-large bid and to get such a great seed, it really validates the work that was done,” Banghart said. “The committee valued scheduling and it valued success. When you look at our tournament resume, as grateful as we are for the opportunity, we earned it. We have a lot of great wins. We have quality losses. We’re just grateful the committee valued the things they said they were going to value. We put our kids in a position to earn it and they earned it.
“We left it in the hands of the committee by not pulling out win at Jadwin on March 8. We knew, therefore, that it was out of our control. But what we did control was how we played over the course of our 30 game season. We scheduled well. We had quality wins. To be honest, I am kind of a basketball geek. I have done the bracketology experience out in Indianapolis. This team looks really good on paper and looks even better live.”
Now the Tigers get a chance to see where they stand against a formidable foe in West Virginia, which is 24-9 this season.
“When you go to the NCAA tournament you expect really good teams,” Banghart said. “That’s what they have and that’s what we have. They have great length and athleticsm. They play mostly man to man with a lot of pressure. We’re a tough matchup. We’re different than a lot of teams they’ve played because of our versatility. They are a solid team.
“We’ve been there before and we’ve also been in the tournament before. The tournament is a special experience. I want our kids to enjoy it. There is a comfort level with the more times you go. Our senior class has been there three times. It’s familiar. What is unfamiliar is the opportunity that is ahead. Every year is unique.”
Princeton topped Green Bay in the opening round last year before falling to Maryland. This year they would possibly draw third-seeded Ohio State with a first-round win.
“I think last year, playing in the NCAA tournament on the national stage and doing well both nights, that raised the intrigue,” Banghart said. “And no doubt the success of our program earned us some looks with their eyes. And when you see this Princeton team play you understand how difficult they are to compete against and how quality they are across the board.”
