Spinach artichoke was Carla Berube's favorite.

Princeton held a "dip-off" at its head coach's home. Four groups of players competed to come up with the best dish. Taste and creativity were the driving factors in determining a winner.

S'mores dip might have been a close second, depending on who you asked.

But what does cooking have to do with the Tigers’ success this season?

It builds chemistry. Whether they're competing in a dip-off, taking trips to New York City, binge-watching shows or going sledding over Christmas break, these things strengthen bonds.

"They play with a lot of joy," Berube told Basket Under Review. "They're really close off the court and I think that translates on the court. It's a really fun group to coach."

Princeton has appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the last four seasons. It has won the Ivy League in three of its last four tries.

That's the goal again this year, and really every year.

Berube had questions going into the season. How good could this team be? There was a lot up in the air.

Those questions have since been answered. The head coach knew what her team was made of after the first game of the season.

The Tigers were set to travel from New Jersey to Atlanta, Georgia, as they opened the year at Georgia Tech on November 9. Besides the outcome, the trip was far from perfect.

Princeton had tickets for a noon flight. That didn't happen.

After 12 hours of waiting, the team boarded a plane that arrived in Atlanta around two in the morning. Despite all of the adversity, Princeton didn't let it impact the outcome.

The Tigers defeated the Yellow Jackets, 67-61. It was at that moment Princeton displayed what it was made of.

"I thought, 'Wow. Okay, this could be something,'" Berube said. "From there, we just chipped away at every game."

The Tigers picked up a win over Villanova after downing Georgia Tech. Their record received its first blemish in Game 3, when they fell to Maryland in College Park.

"Maryland was a tough one," Berube said. "I think it taught us a lot about how we can compete, like here are the things we need to do to actually win a big game like that."

There is no question they learned from that game. This team picked up Power 4 wins over Rutgers and Penn State since then.

Princeton isn't your typical mid-major. Its success has boosted it into the AP Top 25 for a chunk of the season. Parity has been more apparent than ever in women's basketball, and this team is an example of that.

"Mid-majors are moving up and are able to compete with anybody," Berube said. "I think there are just that many more great women's basketball players. There's a huge pool of great students to choose from."

It's come in handy for what Berube has built at Princeton. The Ivy League does not participate in revenue sharing or provide student-athletes with scholarships.

Players who choose to play in this conference are doing it for more than just athletics.

"The players that are here, they want to be at Princeton," the head coach said. "They want this. They're here for a reason. They love this university. They love representing it with Princeton across their chest every time they put their uniform on. It means something to them."

It might not always be easy to recruit players to the Ivy League, but Berube has done it by pitching what a Princeton degree can do in the long run. She has also been able to pitch the success this program has had with her as its leader.

The head coach can show off the trophy case full of league championships as she looks to add another in the upcoming months.

"Our goal is to win the Ivy League, and then the league tournament," Berube said. "Hopefully we'll get to go for a run in the NCAA Tournament."

But for now, she'll focus on the regular season. She doesn't want to focus on the destination until her team gets there.

While Berube continues to navigate the journey, one thing she can appreciate is the present and what women's basketball has become.

"This game is amazing," Berube said. "I love how it's growing every day. It's just booming."

As the Tigers look to continue their success and return to the Big Dance, they can lean on two things that have carried them all season: Power 4 wins and team bonding, like the dip-off.