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Princeton University Athletics
We Are The Champions
March 06, 2001 | Men's Basketball
March 6, 2001
Box Score
PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) - As Nate Walton sat next to him with the net around his neck, Princeton men's basketball coach John Thompson said what wasn't quite apparent in September.
"The cupboard," Thompson said, "wasn't as bare as people thought."
Princeton, one day shy of when Thompson became head coach of a team supposedly stripped of its top players, ripped Penn 68-52 at Jadwin Gym to win the Ivy League championship.
The Tigers dethroned the two-time defending champions, who came into the game needing to win to force a one-game playoff. With the score 31-31 early in the second half, that was starting to look like a possibility.
Instead, Princeton went on a devastating 28-9 run, building the lead to 59-40 and cruising to the championship.
The big man for Princeton was senior captain Nate Walton, who scored nine points and added eight rebounds, seven assists and six steals. Ahmed El-Nokali added 14 points, including 3 for 4 shooting on three-pointers, while Kyle Wente had 12. Andre Logan was the third Tiger in double figures with 10.
Princeton shot 22 for 41 from the field and 11 for 20 from three-point range.