Harvard University sophomore Guard Robert Hinton ’24 and Princeton University junior Forward Jacob Huggins ’23 represent two Ivy League teams fighting for a spot in this year’s March Madness tournament. Because the Ivy League receives only one automatic bid, only the winner of the Ivy League Tournament, which includes the top four teams in the regular-season standings of the Ivy League, goes to March Madness. From there, they would need to win two games in the Ivy League tournament to clinch the league’s spot in the March Madness tournament.
Hinton has been the offensive engine for Harvard all season long. The dynamic guard is averaging around 17 points per game while contributing nearly five rebounds and two assists per game, establishing himself as one of the most versatile scorers in the conference according to ESPN. He can create his own shot at all three levels and has delivered multiple 20+ point performances, carrying the Crimson in tight Ivy League games. His efficiency of shooting 50% from the field and ability to take over late in games makes Harvard a dangerous opponent if they can make it into the top four.
On the other hand, Huggins plays a different but important role for Princeton. The forward gives size, rebounding and an interior defensive presence and averaging roughly five points and four rebounds per game. Although he is not a primary scorer, Huggins’ impact shows up in defensive rotations, physical screens and creating open looks for his teammates to score on. For Princeton, battling in the middle of the Ivy standings, contributions from players like Huggins could play a significant role in their postseason positioning.
With the regular season coming to an end, the pressure for both teams increases, with Harvard being the second seed and Princeton being the seventh seed currently. For Hinton and Huggins, the path to March Madness runs through the Ivy League Tournament, which only sends one team to the NCAA Tournament. If they do qualify, they would likely need to beat higher-seeded teams such as Yale to win the trip to March Madness. Should either team complete that run, they would almost certainly enter the tournament as a 15-seed, a common seed for Ivy champions, tasked with facing a top seed in the opening round.
