"It was nice to be named Player of the Week, but I am just glad we played so well as a team against Harvard," Cullen said. "I know that teams are going to key on me defensively so I am going to have to work hard to get good looks at the basket. My teammates do a great job of setting screens for me and finding me when I am open."
In the 91-76 rout of Harvard, the sharp-shooting senior was 7-of-12 from the behind the arc and tied the school record with a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line. Cullen also recorded four assists and six rebounds in the game.
The Janesville, Wis., native currently leads the Ivy League in scoring (16.8 points per game), free throw percentage (88.9 percent) and three-pointers made (3.73 per game). Cullen is also second in three-point field goal percentage (46.6 percent), fifth in field goal percentage (45.5 percent), sixth in steals (1.73 per game) and 10th in defensive rebounding (3.91 per game).
"This year has been going very well so far both for me and for the team," Cullen said. "Because it is my last year playing basketball I have to play every game like it is my last. The season will be over in a couple of months so I am just trying to make it great."
Cullen is currently the second-best three-point shooter in Dartmouth history, trailing only the record set by current Big Green assistant coach Courtney Banghart '00. Cullen's 05-06 three-point field goal per game average is the best in the nation.
"I just want to continue to get better and improve my overall game. Statistically, I have been shooting the ball very well, especially the threes and free throws," Cullen said. "Going into the year I was not the best free throw shooter, so I am glad that I have improved."
Cullen last won the Player of the Week award a year ago after two outstanding performances for Dartmouth against Central Connecticut and Virginia. In her sophomore season, she led the Ivy League in three-point field goals made per game and finished fifth in the Ivy League in scoring. Last season, Cullen became the 11th Dartmouth women's basketball player to pass the 1000-point mark.
For her efforts, the senior was a second team All-Ivy pick as a sophomore and received All-Ivy honorable mention recognition last season.
Refusing to settle for those impressive accolades, however, Cullen trained harder than ever before this season to get even better. "I worked really hard in the off-season on my foot-speed and conditioning," Cullen said. "I spent a lot of time in the gym, putting up hundreds of shots a day and I think that is paying off."
Putting her individual accomplishments aside, Cullen's biggest goals for the season are to capture the league title and win a game in the NCAA tournament.
"We want to win Ivies and continue to send a message to the conference that we are the top team," Cullen said.
After leading the Big Green to a promising 8-3 start and an early conference victory, that message should be heard loud and clear.
