Busting Brackets
Fansided

Ivy League Basketball: 2021-22 power rankings midway through conference play

By Tristan Freeman

Nov 14, 2021; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Yale Bulldogs guard Azar Swain (5) against the Seton Hall Pirates during the second half at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2021; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Yale Bulldogs guard Azar Swain (5) against the Seton Hall Pirates during the second half at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next
Ivy League Basketball
Ivy League Basketball Brendan Barry Dartmouth Big Green (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /

After not being able to play last season, Ivy League Basketball has been able to have a fairly normal 2021-22 campaign so far, all things considered. The month of January was rough for all teams and conferences but hopefully, the worst has passed.

Although the conference had some successes in the non-conference, there’s no question that the Ivy League is a one-bid league when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. But based on what has happened so far through league play, it’s going to be a tough fight for the automatic bid in the conference tournament in less than a month.

Here’s a current look at the league in terms of power rankings.

8. Columbia Lions – 4-17 (1-8)

It was a tough way to start league play for the Lions, with road games against both Princeton and Penn. However, a 73-69 victory over the Quakers gave them a 1-1 record and some optimism going forward. Unfortunately, that was the last win to date for the team, as Columbia has since lost seven straight games, all of them by at least nine points in the margins.

This team has dealt with some injuries, including leading scorer and rebounder Ike Nweke missing half the team’s games this season. Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa (12.8 ppg and 3.1 apg) and Liam Murphy (12.0 ppg) are the other double-digit scorers on the roster but the problem has been on the defensive end, with the Lions ranking 7th-worst nationally at 79.3 ppg allowed.

With 3 of the last 5 games on the road, the Lions are going to struggle to get a win. But a road trip against Dartmouth will be their best opportunity.

7. Dartmouth Big Green – 5-14 (2-6)

The record won’t suggest it but the Green has been more competitive overall. They have overtime losses to Stanford and Bryant and defeated Georgetown early on in the season. Even in Ivy League play, Dartmouth’s last four losses have come by a combined 10 points.

Brendan Barry, who came back to Dartmouth after transferring to Temple for a year, leads the team with 15.3 ppg on 42% three-point shooting. 6’6 guard Aaryn Rai, is second on the team with 11.4 ppg and leads them with 6.7 rpg. This is a very experienced team but unfortunately, the veterans can’t find a way to win games down the stretch. But with 4 of the final 6 games coming on the road, there’s a chance the Big Green can double up its current amount of Ivy League wins.