Watching the 2024-2025 Ivy League feels like watching a TV show. You have the two main characters in Princeton and Columbia trying to one-up each other while the other characters in Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania fight for screen time.
The Main Characters
#1 Columbia Lions (22-5, 13-1)
The Columbia Lions have something to prove this season. Being bested by Princeton in the last 2 out of 3 conference tournaments, the Lions have finally found a winning formula. Beating the Princeton Tigers in both regular season games, the Lions have the star power to absolutely burst into the scene. For example, in their second win against the Tigers, sophomore guard Riley Weiss scored 34, a career high, and took home the sweep. Alongside Weiss, Kitty Henderson and Cecilia Collins can do their thing as well, averaging 13.5 and 13.7 points, respectively. However, this team has problems when it comes to free throws. The Lions are by far the worst team in the Ivy League, shooting only 60.9% at the charity stripe. For a team that gets to the line second most in the league and games against Princeton and Harvard ending in single digits, these free throws start to add up and could be their ultimate downfall at this miraculous season.
#2 Princeton Tigers (21-6, 12-2)
The Princeton Tigers are by far the most accomplished team in the Ivy League. Producing talents such as
Kaitlyn Chen, a current UConn Huskies senior, and Abby Meyers, a guard for the Dallas Wings, they’re no strangers to success. Winners of the past six iterations of the Ivy League conference tournament, the Tigers are looking to make it six straight. This season, however, they lack star power. There is no 3-time Player of the Year Kaitlyn Chen to generate the offensive firepower the Tigers had in previous seasons. The leading scorers for the Tigers only average 12.8 and 12.3 points a game; it’s hard to win games when the team isn’t playing efficiently. I can see them making a run and making it close against Columbia, but it will be a major uphill battle for the Tigers.
Cast Member #3
#3 Harvard Crimson (22-4, 11-3)
The Harvard Crimson are an interesting team. They used to be a dominant force in the Ivy League, winning multiple conference titles in the 90’s and even securing the first ever #16 seed win against a #1 seeded team at the NCAA Tournament. However, after the 2007-2008 season, the Crimson have been… mediocre. They’ve had flashes of brilliance every now and then, but never reclaimed a title or tournament berth and always finished either second or third in conference. This year is no different, as the Crimson ended the season as the thirdseeded team in the league. However, they did have some bright spots as they handed Columbia their one and only loss in conference play. They have the best defense in the league and the player with the most points per game in Harmoni Turner. If the Crimson can outshoot their opponents and force turnovers, which they’ve excelled at doing, they can make an NCAA Tournament berth this season.
Cast Member #4
#4 University of Pennsylvania (15-12, 6-8)
Clawing through the depths of hell, the University of Pennsylvania Quakers emerged as the tournament’s fourth and final seed in this year’s iteration of the tournament. With three games left to play in conference play, the trio of Brown, Cornell, and Dartmouth had realistic odds of making the tournament.
The Quakers’ star, Stina Almqvist, played a massive role in how the team ended up back in the conference tournament. During the final half of the season, the Quakers were in a neck-to-neck race with the Brown Bears. However, as the season came to an end, the Quakers decisively dismantled four straight tournament-hopeful teams, including the Bears. During the stretch, Almqvist averaged 22.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2 assists per game, up from her season averages of 17.7 points and 7.7 rebounds.
As the season came to an end, the Bears and Quakers finished with the same head-to-head conference play record, but Penn ultimately became the 4th seed based on the NCAA NET rating. The Quakers will face off against the Columbia Lions in the semifinals of the conference tournament.
Final Tournament Prediction
While I believe that the tournament has gotten more competitive over the years, as star players for all of their respective schools have made impacts to the overall growth of the Ivy League, I don’t see Harvard or Pennsylvania being able to best the Tigers or the Lions. As for the championship matchup, I will be putting all of my marbles for the Columbia Lions to make their second ever NCAA Tournament appearance.