Preview: Princeton Tigers at Cornell Big Red ITHACA, N.Y. (Interstat) — Ivy League rivals Princeton and Cornell meet Friday night at Newman Arena, with both teams looking to build on recent victories and gain momentum for the conference stretch run. The Cornell Big Red (9-9, 2-2 Ivy) host the Princeton Tigers (7-13, 3-2) in a matchup of teams coming off Saturday wins. Cornell secured an 86-79 road victory at Harvard, while Princeton defended its home court with a 63-53 win over Brown. Princeton enters having won three of its last five, relying heavily on the standout play of junior guard Jackson Hicke. He is averaging 19.8 points over his last five games, highlighted by a 28-point effort at Dartmouth and a 19-point, 13-rebound double-double against Brown. His backcourt mate, Dalen Davis, added 22 points in the win over the Bears. Cornell counters with its own hot hand in sophomore guard Adam Hinton. He erupted for a season-high 27 points on 10-of-13 shooting in the win at Harvard, demonstrating his explosive scoring potential. The Big Red’s offense, averaging 86.4 points in league play, will test a Princeton defense that has held its last two Ivy opponents under 71 points. Despite their sub-.500 overall records, both teams remain in the thick of the Ivy League race. Princeton’s 3-2 conference mark is bolstered by home wins over Yale and Penn. Cornell, at 2-2, seeks to protect its home floor after splitting its first four league contests. The Big Red won both meetings last season. Friday’s result could prove pivotal for seeding with the tightly packed Ivy schedule continuing Saturday for both squads; Princeton travels to Columbia, while Cornell hosts Penn. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.