With a string of non-conference contests already behind them, the Big Green men's and women's basketball teams will take to the courts this weekend for their first Ivy League Conference games of the 2012-2013 season. Both teams will face Harvard University tomorrow, with the Big Green men (3-10, 0-0 Ivy League) challenging the Crimson (8-5, 0-0 Ivy League) at home. The Big Green women (2-12, 0-0 Ivy League) will travel down to Cambridge, Mass. to face the Harvard women (9-5, 0-0 Ivy League) in an evening match-up.
Both teams have had disappointing starts to their seasons and have fallen behind in non-conference play, but this weekend's schedule presents an exciting opportunity for Dartmouth to take on one of their main Ivy League rivals.
Players on the men's and women's teams get fired up about the Dartmouth-Harvard rivalry each year, Faziah Steen '13 said.
"Both teams look forward to this game every year," she said. "There is a sense of urgency that goes with knowing that we are going to play them."
Since 11 out of its 14 players are underclassmen, this is the first season of conference play for many on the Big Green women's team.
Steen and the other upperclassmen on the team have emphasized the importance of the Dartmouth-Harvard rivalry to the younger players, coach Chris Wielgus said.
Although tomorrow's match-up is an important contest for the Big Green women, Wielgus said he did not want to overemphasize its significance.
"The most important game is always the next one," Wielgus said.
Hungry for a win to start off conference play and set their season back in the right direction, the team is ready to take on the Crimson Tide.
"Conference play is what everything is about," Steen said. "Everyone is intrinsically motivated. This is what we work toward all year."
In order to secure a win this weekend, the Big Green women recognize the adjustments they have to make to their game.
"Harvard is a great shooting team, so we have to focus on getting our hands up on the shooters," Steen said. "They love to run the ball so we have to work on stopping them in transition, and moving effectively from offense to defense."
The Big Green women are coming off of a win on the road against the University of Massachusetts, Amherst last weekend and will look to carry the momentum from that two point win into their game this Saturday.
The Dartmouth men also begin the weekend fresh off of a win against United States Military Academy on Tuesday night.
"Army [(7-9-2, 7-4-2 ECAC)] is a good team, and our win against them has given us lots of confidence," men's co-captain Matt LaBove '13 said. "Tuesday's game shows us what can happen when we put a full game together. Good things can happen when we play our game."
Disappointed with their performance so far this season, the Big Green men look to conference play as a fresh start.
"We are going into it thinking we have a clear slate," LaBove said. "We don't have the record we thought we'd have at this point, but we hope to go in and play our best so we can come out with an Ivy win."
Like the Harvard women's team, the Crimson (5-7-1, 3-5 Ivy League) men's team will present a challenge to the Big Green. As Harvard is always one of the favorites in the League, Dartmouth is eager to prove this weekend that they too belong in one of the top spots.
"This is a statement game for us," LaBove said. "We are trying to prove that we are a team to be reckoned with and that we are fighting for one of the top spots in the League."
The men will play in Leede Arena on Saturday at 4 p.m. The women take on the Crimson Tide at Harvard at 7 p.m. Saturday evening.
