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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton Men's Basketball Celebrates 100 Years
February 24, 2001 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 24, 2001
PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) - With former presidential candidate Bill Bradley and former coach Pete Carril on hand, Princeton celebrated 100 years of basketball history Saturday night.
Former coaches Butch van Breda Kolff and former NBA players John Hummer and Geoff Petrie joined former New York Knicks forward Bradley and Carril in a look back at one of the most unique programs in the nation.
About 74 Princeton basketball alumni were honored in a halftime ceremony as the Tigers beat Dartmouth 68-52 Saturday night.
"When you look around and see a lot of the gifted people who have come through here, it's nice to know you're a little part of that heritage," said Petrie, vice president of player personnel for the Sacramento Kings. "There's just a lot of great memories. It's a big part of your life as you go forward."
Although Princeton does not give scholarships while retaining high admission standards, the university has maintained its status as a national program since the early 1960s.
Princeton has won 33 Ivy League championships, made 21 NCAA appearances and four NIT appearances.
The Tigers went to the Final Four in 1965 and won the NIT 10 years later with a string of stunning upsets. The program has produced 11 All-America selections and 13 NBA draft picks.
"It's certainly one of the most unique programs," said Carril, a Basketball Hall of Famer with Bradley. "You have to give all that credit to coach van Breda Kolff. He sort of nationalized the program."