Princeton Women’s Basketball Triumphs Over Cornell
The Princeton women’s basketball team, ranked 19th in the nation, clinched a decisive 72-61 victory over Cornell in a game held in Princeton, New Jersey, on Saturday afternoon. Skye Belker and Olivia Hutcherson were the standout players for the Tigers, both contributing significantly with 20 points each.
Key Moments of the Game
The turning point of the match came in the fourth quarter, where Princeton surged ahead, starting with a 10-2 run that put them up 58-48 with just over seven minutes left on the clock. Ashley Chea contributed to this momentum by nailing a critical three-pointer that widened the gap to 65-53 with 4:44 remaining. During this pivotal quarter, Belker excelled with a total of eight points, including a key three-pointer, while Hutcherson added two layups to boost their team’s lead.
Shooting Performance and Turnovers
Princeton further solidified their position with a strong total shooting performance, hitting 51% from the field (29 of 57) and converting 43% of their three-point attempts (9 of 21). Despite Cornell performing well offensively—hitting 52% of their shots (25 of 48) and 44% on three-pointers (7 of 16)—the Tigers capitalized on 13 turnovers from the Big Red, scoring 19 points off those mistakes while committing only five turnovers themselves.
Cornell’s Contributions
For Cornell, Rachel Kaus led the team with 20 points, supported by Emily Pape who contributed 14 points. Clarke Jackson added 12 points and collected eight rebounds.
Looking Ahead
After a tough defeat to Columbia the day before, which ended Princeton’s impressive 15-game winning streak, this victory improved their season record to 18-2 and 6-1 within the Ivy League. Looking ahead, Cornell will host Columbia next Saturday, while Princeton prepares to face off against Pennsylvania at home on Friday.
