Zoe Berg, Photo Editor

Having lost two of its last three games, the Yale women’s basketball team (13–8, 6–3 Ivy) will look to get its season back on track when it faces the Columbia Lions (16–4, 7–1).

The two teams face off this Saturday at 2 p.m. in the John J. Lee Amphitheater. Last time the Bulldogs and Lions tipped off was the conference opener in New York where Columbia prevailed by a score of 65–55.  Since then, both sides have established themselves as two of the top teams in the league.

The Bulldogs find themselves in a recent slump after a 5–1 start in conference play. Camilla Emsbo ’23, who leads the team in points, rebounds and field-goal percentage, explained the team’s mindset following the losses.

“The team is definitely feeling pretty frustrated with the results of our last three games,” Emsbo said in an interview. “But we have a lot of trust and faith in the pieces that we have on our team and are working hard to get everybody back in sync on offense.”

While the Elis have been able to count on their defense all season long, they have struggled on the offensive side in recent outings. Possession has been an issue for the Blue and White, as they have averaged over 21 turnovers per game in their last four outings.

In spite of its recent struggles, the team remains confident in getting back to an offensive rhythm. Emsbo and point guard Jenna Clark ’24 have been a dynamic duo in the pick-and-roll all season. 

Meanwhile, guard Klara Aastroem ’24 has provided some added scoring punch in the starting lineup in recent games. The sophomore from Menlo Park, California credited her teammates for her recent level of play. 

“I try to put my teammates in better scoring positions by making the right decision at the right time. When I do this and don’t focus on scoring myself, the team does better and we create for each other, so I can only point to my teammates for putting me in positions where I have been able to score recently,” Aastroem said.

The Blue and White will need all the offense it can muster on Saturday. Although Columbia managed only 39 points against league-leading Princeton (16–4, 8–0) in its previous matchup, the Lions have been great all season, led by sophomore guard Abbey Hsu.

Hsu is second in the conference in both points per game and three-point percentage. The Bulldogs know that stopping her could be the difference in the game. 

“We have some great defenders on our team ready to guard Hsu and make it tough for her to hit her shots,” Clark said. “It will take the whole team committed to playing our defense and helping every woman on the floor.”

While everyone will have to do their part on defense, the Bulldogs will likely look to first year Christen McCann ’25 to guard Hsu for most of the game. McCann has been the team’s premier perimeter defender all season. 

After missing the team’s matchup against Princeton due to injury, McCann returned last weekend and picked up where she left off defensively, limiting Harvard’s star guard Lola Mullaney to just four points. If the Bulldogs want to take down the Lions, they know that McCann will have to keep up her string of strong defensive performances.

“The last time that we played Columbia, [McCann] did a great job of limiting the number of touches that Hsu got outside the three-point line,” Emsbo said. “She’s a great player, and she’s going to score, but limiting those touches and playing through mistakes are really important on Saturday.”

Saturday’s matchup will go a long way in determining where both of these teams finish in the standings. Yale is currently tied with Harvard for third place, with both teams holding a three-game lead in the win column over fifth-place Penn. 

A Columbia win would keep the Lions within one game of the Tigers, while a loss would hurt Columbia’s chances at the regular season crown. A Yale win would give them a comfortable cushion insofar as making the league tournament, especially considering the Bulldogs will face only one more opponent with a winning record. A loss would put the pressure on for the final games of the season. With just five games remaining in the regular season including this Saturday, every win matters.

Clark, Emsbo and McCann make up three of the top four leaders in minutes per game in the Ivy League this season.