PHILADELPHIA, Pa. --- Top-seeded Princeton used stifling defense and an 18-point outburst from freshman Abby Meyers to win the Ivy League Women’s Basketball Championship, 63-34, against No. 2-seeded Penn Sunday afternoon at The Palestra in Philadelphia, Pa.


 
The Tigers improved to 24-5 on the season while holding a +17 (48-31) advantage on the glass. Coach Courtney Banghart won 24 games for the fifth time at the helm of Princeton.
 
Princeton will play in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament for the seventh time this decade and are one of two Ivy League schools to earn a win in the Big Dance (2015).
 
The Quakers fell to 21-8 and were held to a season-low in points. Senior Michelle Nwokedi finished with a team-high 13 points.
 
Nwokedi blocked two shots and moved up to second in the Ivy League career blocks list. The senior has accumulated 306 in her four seasons.
 
Princeton freshman Abby Meyers scored 10 consecutive points in the opening quarter while the Tigers held a 19-3 lead after the first 10 minutes. Myers finished with 18 points, one shy of her career high. She tied a career high with seven made field goals.
 
Princeton allowed a season-low three points in the first quarter. It marked the second consecutive game that the Tigers allowed single digits in the first quarter. Princeton allowed less than 20 points in the first half for the sixth time this year.
 
Penn cut the deficit to 14, 28-14, following a three from Nwokedi while senior Anna Ross claimed the assist.
 
Ross finished with three helpers and broke Penn’s single-season assist record of 141.
 
Princeton paced play throughout the second half and kept Penn at arm’s length.
 
Princeton sophomore Bella Alarie tied her career high with 17 rebounds. She set her career-high in rebounds in yesterday’s semifinal. Alarie, Ivy League Player of the Year, was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
 
Ivy League Women’s Basketball All-Tournament Team
Harvard Guard Katie Benzan
Penn Forward Michelle Nwokedi
Princeton Guard Abby Meyers
Princeton Guard/Forward Bella Alarie
Princeton Forward Leslie Robinson
 
Most Outstanding Player: Princeton Guard/Forward Bella Alarie