With action on the floor finally available to be discussed, it's time for a new 14-Game Tournament Powerpoll. Once again, keep in mind that the Powerpoll ranks the teams as they currently stand and is not a future prediction.
MAYBE ASK FOR A DO-OVER
8. Dartmouth (8)
Not good times in Hanover. This team needs Division I talent. Just lots of it and at any position, because right now, this team will struggle to avoid being worse than last year's 340th ranked Pomeroy squad.
7. Harvard (2)
It'd be surprising if the Crimson was able to hang onto its luggage all the way home, because it certainly couldn't hang on to the ball on Saturday. For all the "frontcourt issues" talk, it was the backcourt that abandoned the Crimson against George Mason in Fairfax.
WAIT AND SEE
6. Yale (6)
No one is reading the Bulldogs their last rites yet (Coach James Jones has earned too much respect over the years), but after losing Alex Zampier to graduation and the stunning departure of All-Ivy forward Michael Sands, it's going to be a struggle for the Bulldogs to climb up the league ladder.
A WIN IS A WIN
5. Cornell (5)
Nailing down a road win without your best player is always a plus. Against a team like Albany, however, you have to do a little more to register as "impressive." The Big Red had moments against Seton Hall, but the Pirates dominated from start to finish.
4. Brown (3)
The Bears got an important mental boost as Peter Sullivan returned from injury for the opener. The team that shellacked Fordham in the first half would have remained number three in the powerpoll. The squad that barely held on winds up here.
REMARKABLY MORAL VICTORY
3. Columbia (7)
For 30 minutes, the Lions looked like the better team in Philly, but LaSalle finally took over down the stretch. To stay here, Columbia needs to look dominant against a pair of 300+ Pomeroy teams (MD Eastern Shore and Longwood) over the next week and hang around with St. John's.
THE CONTENDER
2. Penn (4)
Penn knocks off a high quality mid-major in an energetic Palestra on a Saturday night. What is this, 2007? For one night, the Quakers looked like they were for real. Now can they string together three more wins before their visit to Pittsburgh on Nov. 27?
THE FAVORITE
1. Princeton (1)
It was rocky at times against Rutgers on Friday night. The Tigers squandered a huge first half lead and needed a big shot just to force overtime after a lifeless second half. But Princeton got the win, and it was a big one for both the Tigers and the league. The Duke loss wasn't good, but that's what happens when you play the Blue Devils at a 79 possession pace.
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