Cornell (9-4, 1-0 Ivy) may be a surprise contender for the Ivy title. Picked to finish fifth this year, the Big Red is off to its best start in school history.

Led by junior guard Janice Arcilla, who scored 18 points, Cornell flattened league doormat Columbia by a 78-58 score last week to open its Ivy schedule. Sophomore guard Deborah Stevens has also been a key performer for the Big Red, leading the team in scoring.

Though Cornell's start has been spectacular, the Big Red has yet to be tested by any stellar competition this season. Cornell will have the opportunity to prove if it is a legitimate title contender when it plays road games at Princeton and Penn at the end of January.

Brown (5-11, 0-2 Ivy), Yale (2-11, 0-2 Ivy), and Columbia (1-11, 0-1 Ivy) were picked to be the bottom three teams in the league, and they have done little to prove themselves otherwise.

Freshman guard Barbara Maloni, who lit up the Crimson for 18 points last weekend, has given the Bears hope for its future despite their present struggles. The 25-6 Bear run against the Crimson in a 73-64 losing effort may have been Brown's most impressive performance of the season.

Yale's season also has been highlighted by the performance of a freshman. Guard Maria Smear has led the team in scoring since limited playing time early in the season. Her 20 points against the Crimson last Friday marks her best effort of the season to date.

Columbia, picked to finish last in the Ivy, has struggled early on. But the Lions scored a huge upset with a 75-74 victory over rival Manhattan (11-3) dealing the Jaspers their first loss of the season at the time.

Though Columbia likely won't contend for the Ivy title, the Lions have proven themselves capable of pulling off an upset at any time.