It certainly isn't the first time that Penn and Princeton will come into a game at the Palestra neck-and-neck in the Ivy League standings. And it certainly won't be the last.
But in this new era of Ancient Eight basketball, the historic rivalry game won't be a battle for first place, or even for second. The "Killer P's" nickname might be a bit of a misnomer this season.
As a result, the rivalry will take an interesting turn when the two teams tip off for the 217th time tonight. It's not "winner takes all." It's "winner rights the ship." Forget about the loser.
"Either the team that loses is almost out of the race, or the team that wins, if they win both games this weekend, too, still has a good shot at it," Penn's freshman forward Jack Eggleston said.
"So it's a very big game for us."
Freshman Tyler Bernardini, who missed last weekend's road trip because of a concussion he suffered in practice last Monday, practiced with the team yesterday, but the leading scorer's status is still unknown for tonight's contest. Penn coach Glen Miller declined to speak with The Daily Pennsylvanian.
So far, the Tigers (5-14, 2-2 Ivy) and the Quakers (7-14, 2-2 Ivy), both in the midst of major transitions, have struggled in a similar fashion.
Both teams were swept at Cornell and Columbia last weekend, and the only league wins for the pair have come at home against Harvard and Dartmouth. And while Penn continues to search for a winning formula following the graduation of Ibrahim Jaaber and Mark Zoller, Princeton is still trying to adjust to basketball under first-year coach Sydney Johnson.
According to Princeton forward Noah Savage, "it's been a good transition" for the Tigers, even though the win column might suggest otherwise.
After starting its season with encouraging wins over Iona and Central Connecticut, Princeton proceeded to drop 12 straight non-conference contests.
Nonetheless, the Tigers managed to recover in their conference opener against Dartmouth, and they enjoyed a lead well into the second half in their most recent loss to Columbia.
Three-point shooting has keyed Princeton's improved play, with Kyle Koncz converting 50 percent of his long-range attempts in Ivy League games.
In fact, the Tigers have made 32 three-point shots in their last three games. Savage and sophomore guard Lincoln Gunn are serious threats as well, averaging 33 and 40 percent from beyond the arc, respectively.
However, Princeton's classic style of offense has yielded only 56 points per game this season, the lowest average in the Ivy League.
No one on the Tigers averages more than 11 points per game, and only two average in double digits.
Even as a freshman, Eggleston is aware of the rivalry's significance and excited to take part in it as he heads into his first Penn-Princeton matchup.
"I really don't know what to expect," he said. "[Princeton] seems to be reinvigorated, and they've been playing well."
And when these two teams face off, it's safe to expect the unexpected.
