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Princeton University Athletics
X Games
December 07, 2000 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 7, 2000
Princeton vs. Xavier
The site * Jadwin Gym * Princeton, N.J.
The date * Saturday, Dec. 9, 2000 *?7:30 p.m.
Radio/TV * WHWH AM 1350, www.goprincetontigers.com, WPRB FM 103.3/RCN (Princeton), WSTR (Cincinnati), satellite: sbs6, transponder 10, downlink frequency 11945, megahertz vertical
The records * Princeton: 2-3, Xavier: 5-1
The coaches * Princeton: John Thompson (first season, 2-3), Xavier: Skip Prosser (eighth season, 149-71)
The series * Xavier leds 3-0
Last meeting * Xavier defeated Princeton 58-54 * Dec. 27, 1999
Probable Princeton Starters
F 23 Mike Bechtold (Jr., 6-6, 190, Lebanon, Pa.) 15.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg
F21 Eugene Baah ( Jr., 6-5, 195, New York, N.Y.) 5.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg
C 33 Nate Walton (Sr., 6-7, 215, San Diego, Calif.) 8.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg
10 Ed Persia (Fr., 6-1, 180, Beaumont, Texas) 8.6 ppg, 1.0 rpg G 22 C.J. Chapman (Sr., 6-1, 170, Aurora, Colo.) 11.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg
You guys again? -- Princeton and Xavier have met each of the last two seasons in Cincinnati. Xavier defeated Princeton 65-58 in the quarterfinals of 1999 NIT (after Princeton had a 17-point first-half lead) and 58-54 last December.
The glass menagerie -- Xavier had a 32-10 advantage in offensive rebounds in the last two meetings against Princeton.
More glass -- Princeton is 0-2 when it outrebounds its opponents, Princeton has been outrebounded by an average of 11 rebounds in its two wins.
Not to dwell on it or anything -- Chris Young had 37 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and eight blocked shots in two games against Xavier.
Philosophy 101 -- Princeton has 55 three-point baskets and 49 two-point baskets. Xavier has 38 three-point baskets and 115 two-point baskets.
Buzzer beaters -- Princeton has allowed a basket in the final five seconds of the first half in four of its last nine games. Of those four, three were three-pointers.
Three for all -- Princeton ranks second nationally in three-pointers made per game (11.0). Charlotte ranks first (12.5).
More threes -- Princeton is on pace to finish the season with 286 made three-pointers and 749 three-pointers attempted. The school single-season records are 265 and 681.
Ahmed update -- Ahmed El-Nokali underwent surgery to repair a tendon in his groin in October. He returned to practice last week, though he has not yet played. His status for the Xavier game will not be determined until just prior to gametime.
Get to the point -- Mike Bechtold's career high entering this season was 12 points, he is averaging 15.2 points per game this season and has had at least 12 points in every game this year.
Career oriented -- Mike Bechtold had a career-high 23 points against Lafayette.
Foul ball -- Princeton has been outscored by an average of 9.8 points per game from the foul line.
Long range thinking -- The four Princeton players to start every game (Mike Bechtold, C.J. Chapman, Ed Persia, Eugene Baah) have combined to attempt 116 three-pointers and 22 two-pointers.
Mad bomber -- C.J. Chapman is 16 for 34 on three-pointers and 1 for 2 from two-pointers.
More bomber -- Since starting the season 2 for 11 from three-point range, Ed Persia has made nine of his last 15.
Still more bomber -- Ed Persia has 11 three-pointers after five games. A year ago, when he set a Princeton freshman record with 65 three-pointers, Spencer Gloger had nine after five games.
DQ'd -- Princeton has had a player foul out eight times in the first five games. Princeton had a player foul out 12 times in 30 games a year ago.
We're honored -- Princeton's Mike Bechtold was named the Ivy League Player of the Week after scoring 27 points while shooting 7 for 16 from three-point range in the First Merchants Classic. Ed Persia, who scored 11 points against Weber State and shot 6 for 12 from three-point range in the two games, was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week.
Bombs away -- Princeton has made at least seven three-pointers in each of the first five games and at least 12 three-pointers in three of the five games.
Can you spare a dime? -- Nate Walton is on pace for 138 assists, which would be the third highest single-season total in Princeton history. Walton had 113 assists last year, fifth on the single-season list.
Block party -- Princeton has blocked 12 shots in five games and is on pace to block 62 for the season. Chris Young blocked 90 by himself a year ago.
Triple threat -- Nate Walton had 14 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists against Lafayette. No Princeton player has ever had a triple-double.
Say Wente -- Sophomore Kyle Wente is averaging 4.8 points, 2.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 25.4 minutes per game this year. His totals for last year were three points, three rebounds, two assists and 18 minutes.
More Wente -- Kyle Wente had 13 points against Weber State, he has 14 for every other game of his career combined.
Logan's run -- Andre Logan is second on Princeton in offensive rebounds despite being seventh in minutes played.
More Logan -- Andre Logan has a better percentage from three-point range (50%) than from the foul line (33.3%).
Swish -- Mike Bechtold was a 42.7% shooter from the field his first two years, he is shooting 52.9% from the field this year.
Ball control -- Princeton's starting backcourt of Ed Persia and C.J. Chapman has 17 turnovers in 315 minutes.
Baah, humbug -- Eugene Baah is averaging 5.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game this year after averaging 3.4 points and 1.7 rebounds per game a year ago.
Size matters -- The average height of Princeton's starting five in the final game of last year was 6' 7". The average height of Princeton's starting five this season is 6' 4".
D-plus -- Princeton has led the nation in scoring defense each of the last 12 years.
Moving up the charts -- C.J. Chapman has 105 career three-pointers, seventh-best all-time at Princeton. Chapman needs 37 to tie Chris Mooney for sixth.
Senior citizen -- Nate Walton is the first Princeton player ever to appear in five different seasons. Walton played five games of the 1998-99 season before having surgery on his foot. He elected to withdraw from school for the year, and he returned last year as a junior.
More senior -- Nate Walton has played with 35 different teammates during his time at Princeton.
Krug update -- Chris Krug has decided to take a leave of absence from the Princeton basketball team for personal reasons.
Where'd everybody go? -- Between Aug. 31 and the start of the season, Princeton basketball lost all of the following: Bill Carmody (head coach went to Northwestern, Ahmed El-Nokali ( injured point guard), Spencer Gloger (three-point specialist transfered to UCLA), Chris Krug (projected starting center took leave of absence from team), Ray Robins (10.5 point-per-game starter took year off from school) and Chris Young (All-America center signed professional baseball contract and is ineligible for basketball under Ivy rules).
Bench mark -- Princeton's coaching staff of 1999-2000 featured three men who are now Division I head coaches. Former Tiger head coach Bill Carmody is now head coach at Northwestern, former Tiger assistant coach Joe Scott is now head coach at Air Force and former Tiger assistant John Thompson is now head coach at Princeton.
In case you didn't realize -- Chris Young, an honorable mention All-America last year, started every game the last two years. He was on pace to finish his career second in scoring at Princeton behind Bill Bradley, as well as first in blocked shots, second in assists and fourth in rebounds. Young, also an All-America in baseball as a pitcher (he led Division I with a 1.05 ERA last spring), was a third round pick of the Pirates.
A league of their own -- Princeton has won seven Ivy League championships in the last 12 years.
Triple play -- Princeton has made at least one three-pointer in every game since the rule was enacted for the 1986-87 season.
A march to madness -- Princeton has been to the postseason each of the last five years, the longest such streak in school history.
Deck the Hall -- Princeton coach John Thompson's father (longtime Georgetown coach John Thompson) and college coach (Pete Carril) are both in the Hall of Fame.