Courtesy: Princeton Athletic CommunicationsSTONY BROOK, N.Y. -- Freshman Niveen Rasheed scored a game-high 18-points as the Princeton women's basketball team opened its season with a 68-43 win at Stony Brook Friday night.
Of Princeton's 68 points, 50 came from freshmen or sophomores. Lauren Edwards, a sophomore, added 13 points while Stony Brook's only player in double-figures was Kirsten Jeter with 11 points.
The Tigers looked ready to bet on youth from the opening tap, with four of five starters in their first or second years with the program. While Rasheed narrowly missed a double-double with nine rebounds in her first start, fellow freshman Lauren Polansky played 24 workmanlike minutes in her collegiate debut, picking up two steals, blocking two shots and dishing out two assists while never turning over the ball.
Kate Miller, with four points, and Megan Bowen, with two, joined Rasheed in scoring their first-career points for the Tigers.
Stony Brook never led, though the Seawolves were within four points at 28-24 with 3:30 to go before the half. From there, Princeton held Stony Brook scoreless through the break while adding four points to the lead for an eight-point halftime edge at 32-24.
An 11-2 run to start the second half pushed the Princeton lead into double-figures, something the Tigers never relinquished. Princeton finished the game with a solid 43.6 shooting percentage from the field, while Stony Brook managed just 26.7 percent shooting. That allowed Princeton to overcome an even 42-42 rebounding total in what was an early-season game affected by 40 turnovers, 22 of which the Seawolves committed.
While the win completed a home-and-home sweep of Stony Brook by the Tigers after last season's 88-41 win at Jadwin Gym, Princeton will have the opportunity to even another series when American, which defeated Princeton on its floor last season, will visit Jadwin for a 7 p.m. tip Monday.
