March 7, 2025
Locked On Women’s Basketball: Previewing Ivy Madness
By The Next
Penn and Brown race for final Ivy League tournament spot
On Friday’s episode of Locked On Women’s Basketball, The Next’s managing editor and Ivy League beat reporter Jenn Hatfield joins host Natalie Heavren to talk about which teams have already clinched their spots and the battle for the final spot in the Ivy League Tournament. The pair also chat about the conference’s impactful seniors as well as what to watch for in the final weekend of the regular season.
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As Jenn explains, Columbia, Princeton and Harvard have secured the top three spots in next week’s conference tournament. Columbia, led by seniors Kitty Henderson, Cecelia Collins, and sophomore Riley Weiss, clinched the number one seed despite losing top player Abbey Hsu. Princeton, with a young team, improved defensively and offensively, while Harvard, despite losing key players, maintained a strong net ranking. The race for the fourth seed is between Penn and Brown, with Penn needing a win over Princeton to secure the spot.
Later in the episode, Natalie and Jenn analyze several players emerging as key difference makers for their teams. For Columbia, forward Susie Rafiu stands out, particularly after her strong performance in their win over Princeton. Rafiu, who is tasked with guarding larger players like Princeton’s 6’4 Parker Hill, adds a crucial dimension to Columbia’s relatively small front court. “The better she can be, that kind of raises their ceiling,” Jenn says on the podcast.
Princeton’s size also plays a pivotal role, with players like Hill and 6’4 Tabitha Amanze giving the team a consistent height advantage. Head coach Carla Berube emphasized the need to utilize this strength, especially after their loss to Columbia. For Harvard, Saniya Glenn-Bello‘s athleticism and versatility are vital, particularly in their press defense, which ranks among the best in the nation. Her emergence as a third scorer behind the duo of Harmoni Turner and Elena Rodriguez has been crucial for Harvard’s success, especially against teams like Columbia.
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Here at The Next, in addition to the 24/7/365 written content our staff provides, we also host the daily Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast. Join us Monday through Saturday each week as we discuss all things WNBA, collegiate basketball, basketball history and much more. Listen wherever you find podcasts or watch on YouTube.
The Ivy League conference tournament tips off Friday, March 14, from The Pizzitola Sports Center in Providence, Rhode Island.
