The Red has established itself as a true Ivy powerhouse, poised to match Penn’s three-peat from 2005-08. While the Red is expected to take the League title again, Brown is expected to continue its fall from grace, with preseason polls puting the Bears at No. 7 in the league for the 2009-10 campaign. Princeton is expected to continue to challenge the Red this season, with a strong lineup of veterans suiting up in black and orange. Penn is expected to return to the top of the table with a tigther defense.

Penn Quakers

2008-09: 10-18, 6-8 Ivy (T-6th)

After winning three consecutive conference championships behind Ibrahim Jabeer from 2005 to 2007, Penn finished at just 8-6 in 2008 and slumped to a 6-8 conference record in 2009. Tyler Bernardini and Jack Eggleston will return with hopes to reestablish Penn as an Ivy power. Based on preseason polls, Quaker fans have reason to be optimistic. Penn is projected to finish third in the Ancient Eight behind the Red and the Tigers. After giving up the most points per game in the conference last season, Penn will need to tighten up its defense if it hopes to improve on last season’s record. Penn has a tough exhibition schedule with Duke, Saint Joseph’s and Villanova on the docket.

Princeton Tigers

2008-09: 13-14, 8-6 (T-2nd)

The Tigers return almost all of their core players from a team that finished in a tie for second place in the Ivy League. Each of the top nine scorers from last season’s Princeton squad will return to the court this season. Princeton tends to play a slow-paced game holding both the least points scored and allowed per game in Ivy play. Much of the team’s success came from beyond the arc, as the Tigers were second only to Cornell in 3-point field goal percentage (39.7 percent) and second to Columbia in 3-point percentage allowed (29.1 percent) in conference play. Long-range specialists Douglas Davis and Dan Mavraides led Princeton in scoring last season.

Columbia Lions

2008-09: 13-15, 7-7 (T-4th)

The Lions won eight of 14 home games last season, but struggled on the road. Of the Lions’ 14 games away from Morningside Heights, Columbia could only pick up four wins. Columbia featured a very balanced attack last season – no player averaged more than 11 points per game – but a few of the team’s top performers have departed. Most notably, forward and All-Ivy second team selection Jason Miller graduated after the 2008-09 campaign. Patrick Foley, Noruwa Agho and Niko Scott will lead a guard-heavy attack for the Lions. Columbia is hoping that its defense will turn in another strong season after the team was second in points per game allowed and finished atop the Ancient Eight in turnovers per game forced. The Lions have held a 7-7 Ivy record in the past three seasons.

Brown Bears

2008-09 : 9-19, 3-11 (8th)

Brown pulled up the bottom of the standings last season, a shocking result after going 11-3 in 2007-08. Brown, which finished in the bottom half of the conference on both offense and defense, will attempt to rise out of the basement this season. The good news for Brown is that each of its three top scorers will be back on the court this season. Forwards Mutt Mullery and Peter Sullivan and guard Adrian Williams will try to jumpstart Brown’s sluggish offense. Mullery was an All-Ivy selection last year in spite of the Bears’ performance. Even with Brown’s trio, the Bears are not expected to go far this season

Yale Bulldogs

2008-09: 13-15, 8-6 (T-2nd)

Yale managed at least one win against every team in the conference a season ago; however the team will be hard-pressed to repeat such a performance. All-Ivy second team forwards Ross Morin and Travis Pinick both graduated in the spring, thus Yale will face an uphill battle to finish with a winning record in the Ancient Eight this season. Guard Alex Zampier will have to carry the scoring load for the inexperienced Bulldogs. Yale’s 3-point shooting was definitely a weak link. The team finished last in the conference in both 3 pointers made and 3-point percentage.

Harvard Crimson

2008-09: 14-14, 6-8

(T-6th)

Now a senior, Harvard star Jeremy Lin is poised to make a run at the Ivy League player of the year award. Last season, the guard from California averaged 17.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while converting more than 50 percent of his field goal attempts. Sophomore forward Keith Wright will look to build upon a strong rookie campaign in the 2009-10 campaign. Harvard failed to meet expectations a season ago, but signature wins against Cornell and Boston College give reason to believe that Harvard can improve in 2010. Harvard needs to improve its team rebounding after finishing last in the conference in rebound margin last season. The Crimson will miss graduated point guard Drew Housman who finished second on the team in points and assists a season ago. Rookie Brandyn Curry is a highly touted recruit who has a chance to succeed Housman in Cambridge.

Dartmouth Green

2008-09: 9-19, 7-7 (T-4th)

Dartmouth had little success out of the conference last season, but finished .500 in the Ivy League. The Green was led by last season’s conference Player of the Year Alex Barnett. Last season, Barnett led the Ivy League in scoring at 19.4 points per game. Without Barnett, the Green will need to find a way to replace his scoring punch. Sophomores Jabari Trotter and David Ruffel are looking to do so. The two guards were among the top Ivy League rookies a season ago. In spite of some young talent, Dartmouth is likely to take a step back without Barnett.