Sports
Nicholas Root / The Dartmouth Staff
Nicholas Root / The Dartmouth Staff
Searching for its eighteenth Ivy League championship and third crown in a row, the Dartmouth women's basketball team delivered mixed results in a busy month of non-conference play, posting a record of 3-4 over the holiday break.
Competing in tournaments from coast to coast, the Big Green (4-8, 0-0 Ivy) tested its new-look roster against old rivals and nationally ranked programs.
Though starting its season campaign with lopsided losses to the University of Hartford and Temple University, Dartmouth opened play in December with an impressive offensive effort against Stony Brook University (2-11, 0-0 America East), shooting 57.6 percent from the floor in a 77-72 victory.
The early holiday cheer, however, was abruptly ended by nationally ranked Syracuse University (12-1, 0-1 Big East), as the Orange outmatched the Big Green in the backcourt despite Dartmouth's high-pressure defense.
The 56-42 loss to Syracuse highlighted the Big Green's early offensive struggles, as the women's squad shot a subpar 28.3 percent from the field.
With the departure of veterans Darcy Rose '09 and Koren Schram '09 a tandem that averaged 21 points per game last season Dartmouth will face the challenge of establishing a solid motion offense that requires consistency beyond the arc and smooth transition into the post.
Squaring off against the University of Southern California (7-5, 1-0 Pac-10) for the Women of Troy tournament in Pasadena, Calif., the Big Green shot a low 22.2 percent from the field, while allowing the Trojans to hit 45.2 percent of their shots in the first half.
"Starting off the game well in the first half sets a tone for the rest of the game because we play with more confidence throughout the game," Brittney Smith '11 said.
