Ivy Hoops Roundup: Feb. 8

Very little of what conspired this weekend matters at all, as Penn and Princeton square off tonight for the first time this season. But so as not to make everyone else feel unimportant, here’s the word on Ivy basketball from the weekend:

39 points for Gryffindor! Brown finally put Columbia in its place with an 87-79 victory Friday. Freshman Sean McGonagill scored 39 points, almost half of the Bears’ output, in what was easily a high for his young career. For his efforts, he’s earned the nickname “The Professor,” but he’s still going to have a hard time transfigurating Brown (1-5 Ivy) into a decent team — a k a one that can beat Cornell (1-5).

The Bears lost by 12 to the Big Red Saturday at home, giving the Ithacans their first Ivy League win of the year. It may have taken six games, but those Cornellians are finally on their way to recreating last year’s magic! If only there were 12 more games for them to play.

Hang in there, baby! The Bulldogs of Yale seem to think they can compete with the big boys in the League, posting a 4-2 record through three weeks of Ivy play. But Friday’s one-point, come-from-behind win over Cornell would seem to disagree.

They even followed it up with another victory over Columbia (3-3), winning 72-67. As the Yale Daily News titled their weekend recap, “Bulldogs return to their winning ways.” Wait, what winning ways? This isn’t a hockey roundup. Yale basketball: Champion of the 7-7 season.

Buckle up. Harvard finished the weekend even, giving up a lead to Princeton and losing, 65-61, Friday and then surviving a scare at the Palestra before 19,000 rabid Quakers’ fans. While busing back up to Beantown, Harvard junior Andrew Van Nest tweeted about the driver’s aggressive style. Hold on tight, guys!

Dartmouth, needless to say, lost to the P’s this weekend, though they played a tight first half with Ancient Eight leader Princeton. But such is Saturday night in the Ivy League.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.