The Big Green will begin a crucial two-game road swing tonight when they square off against two-time defending Ivy League champion Brown University (9-6 overall, 3-0 Ivy League). Tomorrow night, Dartmouth faces Yale University (9-6 overall, 1-2 Ivy League).
"These games are real important," Coach Chris Wielgus said. "They're our first Ivy games on the road, and back-to-back road games are always tough."
Dartmouth (8-7 overall, 3-0 Ivy) is currently tied atop the Ivy standings with Brown. Although 11 league games remain, two wins this weekend are vital to keep the Big Green's hopes for an Ivy title alive.
"The Ivy League is one of the few conferences that determines its champs by overall league record, not by a tournament," Wielgus said.
The Big Green have their work cut out for them. Brown is 7-0 at home, which includes a 74-56 spanking of the University of Rhode Island in December. Dartmouth, in an uncharacteristically poor performance, fell to the Rams two weeks ago, 74-46.
Dartmouth will have to face one of the Ivy League's best players tonight in Brown junior Martina Jerant. The 6-foot-5 center averages 15.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots per contest and was last year's league Player of the Year.
Dartmouth will counter with Ilsa Webeck '94. A 6-foot-3 center, Webeck is averaging 12.3 points and 9.6 rebounds a game.
On the offensive side of the ball, Wielgus said that the Big Green must shoot well to be effective.
"We need to hit some outside shots to force them to come out and play us. Then we can go inside. We need a balanced attack," she said.
The Big Green will need to shoot well Saturday night, too. They cannot overlook Yale, who has done well against some tough non-league competition.
