PHILADELPHIA — The University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team will look to avenge the six point loss against Princeton on Jan. 3 this Friday as they take on the Tigers at Jadwin Gymnasium at 7 p.m.
 
The Quakers enter the weekend following an upset victory over Columbia on Saturday in their 13th win overall and third Ivy League win of the season.
 
GAME 21 - PENN (13-7, 3-4 Ivy League) vs. PRINCETON (18-2, 6-1 Ivy League)
Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 | 7 p.m.
Princeton, N.J.
Watch | Live Stats
 
THE PRINCETON SERIES
Penn has lost 15 straight vs. the Tigers, including a six point loss on Jan. 3 at the Palestra. Despite being down nine at the end of the third quarter in the last matchup, the Quakers fought back and opened the fourth quarter on a 15-2 run. However, the Tigers were able to close the game out with free throws. Mataya Gayle (17), Katie Collins (15) and Tina Njike (13) all scored in double figures for the Red and Blue in the first meeting.
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Princeton has been one of the hottest teams in the country, winning 15 of their last 16 games and becoming the only team in the Ivy League to be nationally ranked this season (#23). However, they did lose to Columbia last Friday night at home, 73-67. This was only the second loss of the season for the Lions. Five players average double figure points for the Tigers, led by Madison St. Rose averaging 16.5 points per game. The Tigers shoot the ball at an extremely high clip, especially from behind the arc, leading the Ivy League in points per game and three-point percentage. However, the Quakers are currently tied with the Tigers in three-pointers made this season with 143 each. The two teams are also comparable in terms of their efficiency at the free throw line, both shooting 77 percent from the line. The Tigers also do a great job with taking care of the ball, leading the conference with the least amount of turnovers per contest this season (13.6).
 
QUAKER NOTEMEAL VS CORNELL
*Mataya Gayle led the Quakers in scoring with 20 points, her second 20+ scoring game of the season.
 
*Katie Collins finished in double figures (13) for the tenth straight game, also recording a double double with 12 rebounds.
 
*Penn outscored Cornell in the paint 26-16.
 
*The Quakers recorded eight steals, Gayle finished with four.
 
*Emily Pape and Rachel Kaus scored a combined 38 points for Cornell.
 
*Cornell shot 47 percent from three-point range.
 
*Brooke Suttle was productive off the bench for Penn, scoring eight points with five rebounds and four assists.
 
*Penn outrebounded Cornell, 35-34, securing 11 offensive rebounds.
 
QUAKER NOTEMEAL VS COLUMBIA
*Mataya Gayle led the Quakers in scoring with 16 points, while also tallying seven assists.
 
*Four players scored in double figures for Penn, including Tina Nike and Simone Sawyer (10), and Brooke Suttle (11).
 
*Penn shot 40 percent from the floor, 23/57.
 
*Njike recorded her fourth double double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
 
*There were 12 lead changes in the game.
 
*Penn scored 30 points in the paint, 18 from behind the arc.
 
*Penn scored 17 second chance points off 12 offensive rebounds.
 
*The Red and Blue recorded just 10 turnovers, tying their second lowest in a game this season.
 
*Head coach Mike McLaughlin won his 270th game at Penn, his 21st against Columbia.
 
PENN IN THE IVY STATS
• Penn leads the Ivies and entered the week 19th nationally in free-throw percentage (.777).
 
• Katie Collins enters the weekend second among Ivy League players in overall rebounds per game and blocked shots.
 
• Simone Sawyer is first among Ivy players in overall free-throw percentage, at .914.
 
• Gayle is first among Ivy players in overall assists per game (4.3).
 
*Gayle is fourth in steals per game (1.9).
 
AYE AYE, CAPTAINS!
Penn has five players leading the team as captains in 2025-26, tying a program record for a single season. The leadership group is made up of seniors Saniah Caldwell, Simone Sawyer, and Georgia Heine, as well as junior Gayle and sophomore Collins. There have been just two other seasons in program history when the Quakers had five captains: 2004-05 and 2020-21 (which was canceled due to COVID-19).
 
PENN WBB BY THE NUMBERS
8.1 • Collins' rebounds-per-game average so far this season; that is second among Ivy League players behind Alyssa Moreland (10.4)
 
16 • Gayle's points-per-game average over the last seven games; she scored 20 points against Columbia.
 
31 • The number points away from 1,000 for Mataya Gayle. 
 
33 • Blocked shots by Collins so far this season, second in the Ivy League trailing only Yale's Dorka Kastl (38); Njike is sixth, with 20 blocks.
 
56.3• Penn's points-per-game scoring defense this season, second highest in the Ivy League.
 
77.7 • Penn's free-throw percentage for the season, highest in the Ivy League and 19th nationally.