JULIA TIERNAN/YH The women's basketball team hopes to take down Harvard and Dartmouth this weekend.

Elis primed to continue hot streak, burn Ivy foes

When Jim Morrison said that there was blood on the streets of New Haven, he forgot to mention that it would also be on the courts of the John J. Lee Amphitheater this weekend. After two tough losses to Dartmouth and Harvard last month, the women's basketball team hopes to continue its current three-game winning streak and take revenge on its two Ivy opponents in back-to-back grudge matches.

This task won't be easy, especially considering that Dartmouth and Harvard share the top spot in the Ivy League with 6-1 records in conference play. Guard Maria Smear, SM '03, describes them as "two teams that are used to winning. If you make a mistake, they're definitely going to capitalize on them."

Such mistakes were what devastated Yale in the game against Dartmouth on Sat., Jan. 15. Although the Bulldogs stayed close for most of the game, late turnovers proved to be fatal in an 80-63 loss. "We did a nice job keeping Dartmouth under wraps until there were about seven minutes left in the game," Coach Amy Backus said. "They went on a 10-0 run and kind of rubbed it in our faces at that point. There's definitely some revenge factor for this upcoming game."

The Harvard squad, with strong outside shooters and two big post players crowding the paint, will also prove to be a difficult challenge for the Bulldogs. Although Yale stayed somewhat close to its Crimson opponents on Fri., Jan. 14, Harvard triumphed with a 93-77 win. The key to getting a win this Saturday will be "to neutralize Harvard's strong post play," according to Captain Kelly Denit, DC '00. "They out-rebounded us last time, so we are going to make sure their post doesn't score or grab rebounds from us."

Defeating the two best teams in the league may seem difficult, if not impossible. But, as guard Helene Schutrumpf, BK '03, described it, "I feel like we're a totally different team now." Considering the team's current winning streak, she may be right. Over the past two weeks, the team has notched impressive wins over Ivy rivals Columbia, Cornell, and Princeton, giving Yale a surge of momentum going into this weekend.

Much of this improvement can be attributed to the comfort level the team has reached since the Dartmouth and Harvard games. Before the team's victory over Brown on Sat., Jan. 22, the Elis had lost 11 out of their first 13 games. "Early on we were putting in a lot of new offensive schemes, as well as having to adjust to a new coaching staff," forward Alyson Miller, JE '01, commented. "It was a mental block we had to get over."

W. Basketball

Record: 9-12, 5-3 Ivy Recent Results: Won vs. Columbia, 64-60. Won vs. Cornell, 69-59. Coming Up: Fri., Feb. 18 vs. Dartmouth. Sat., Feb. 19 vs. Harvard.

Luckily, the team was able to work out its kinks. Since the Brown victory, Yale has embarked on a dazzling run, notching seven wins in its last eight games. Backus thought that this mid-season surge could not necessarily be attributed to anything new or different about the Eli offense or defense. She did say that "once we got the win at Brown, that really boosted our confidence. It made everyone believers of how well we can play." In particular, Backus pointed out how "the defensive intensity has really picked up, not to mention the contributions the freshmen have made."

But Schutrumpf is quick to dish the compliments back to her coach for the recent winning streak. She said that Backus "has been doing a great job with scouting reports. The details she gives us are the little things we have been able to capitalize on recently."

For the Bulldogs, the memory of the last two losses to Dartmouth and Harvard should be enough motivation for this weekend's games. Simply put, this weekend is huge. With only six games remaining, two wins against the top teams in the Ivy League would not only elevate the Bulldogs in division standings, but also give them another boost of confidence for their final four opponents.

In order to fulfill this mission, the team must do one thing: execute. If the past three wins are any indication, Yale is on the right track. According to Miller, "what makes the team unique is that we have threats in all positions of the court, and also have a deep bench. Everybody brings something new. That's what makes us a formidable opponent."

Formidable is almost too humble a word. Yale's squad leads the league in fewest points allowed against Ivy opponents, and in the game against Columbia on Fri., Feb. 11, four players scored in double digits.

As for this weekend, the Elis can only hope to continue their winning streak and maintain for the remaining six games what Coach Backus sees as a burgeoning team cohesiveness. For Captain Denit, the mission is clear when it comes to Harvard and Dartmouth—"They know what we do and we know what they do. It's going to be a question of execution." Regardless of who is victorious, the John J. Lee Amphitheater will be a firing range this weekend.

Back to Sports...