Both teams seek not only the Ivy crown, but also the chance to play in the NCAA postseason tournament next month.
The men's squad, coming off tough losses to Columbia and Cornell two weeks ago, looked last weekend to recapture both its momentum and the top spots in Ivy standings.
Alex Barnett '09 and David Rufful '12 helped keep the team's title hopes alive, as both players delivered big in crucial wins over the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton. The doubleheader victories marked the first Dartmouth sweep of the Quakers and the Tigers in 50 years.
Earning the league's weekly basketball awards, Barnett and Rufful combined for 65 total points in the team's last two matchups. Barnett moved to 10th place on Dartmouth's all-time scoring leaderboard, while Rufful scored in double figures for the fifth straight game.
This week, the Big Green will look for equally strong performances from the senior-freshman duo, as well as consistent support from the bench. With the title on the line, the Big Green will host defending Ivy champion Cornell, as well as Columbia, with which the Big Green is currently tied for second place, hoping to avenge losses to both teams earlier in the season.
Dartmouth, however, will have to face off against tough perimeter defense from both teams. In the teams' previous meetings this year, the Big Red limited Dartmouth to only 23 points in the first half, while the Lions suffocated the Big Green offense throughout the game, holding the visitors to 52 points.
The men's squad is also looking to contain opponents' open looks from beyond the arc and ball movement into the paint. Alhough the Dartmouth defense has been solid during the last two games, the Tigers and the Big Red have combined to score 146 points against the Big Green this season.
On the women's side, Dartmouth will look to take on third- and fourth-place Cornell and Columbia.
After escaping unscathed after a Princeton comeback attempt last Saturday, Dartmouth will carry an 11-game winning streak to Ithaca, N.Y., where a potentially dangerous Big Red team hopes to capitalize on its home crowd advantage and exploit any lapse in the Big Green's zone defense.
"We definitely need to be ready for every game, because everyone plays their best against us," Darcy Rose '09 said. "We need to make sure that we keep up the defensive integrity and don't allow offensive rebounds."
Still perfect in league play, the women's squad will look for a balanced attack from its healthy roster and consistency in transition from the backcourt.
Despite recent offensive woes late in games, the Big Green has managed to keep its poise down the stretch, posting defensive stops at crucial junctures.
Much of Dartmouth's mental steadiness comes from co-captains Rose and Koren Schram '09, both of whom are ready to lead with the experience they gained from two previous Ivy titles.
In last weekend's game against Princeton, Rose tallied a team-high nine rebounds, while Schram, who contributed eight points, abruptly ended a last-second Tiger rally with a crucial steal in the final minute.
The Big Green, however, missed its ensuing free-throw opportunities, giving Princeton a final chance to tie or win.
Rose, who was recently named Academic All-District in the New England region, said that the team must not underestimate the importance of the charity strip this weekend.
"Good free-throw shooting is essential, especially at the end of a close game," she said. "It often makes the difference between securing the lead and letting the other team back in the game."
The men will host Cornell and Columbia on Friday and Saturday at Leede Arena, while the women will square off against the Big Red and the Lions on the road. All games are set for 7 p.m. tipoffs.
Big Green athletics will also host its "Bleed Green Weekend" for the upcoming home games. Dartmouth students are encouraged to wear green to all athletic events.
