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Princeton University
Holy Cross
Princeton Snowed Under By Meade's Late Free Throw
January 03, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 3, 2003
Box Score
Worcester, Mass. - Jave Meade made his second free throw attempt with 4.3 seconds to go to snap a tie game and give Holy Cross a 55-54 win over Princeton Friday night.
The game was witnessed by 1,046 brave fans who came out despite a blizzard that threatened to dump as much as 20 inches of snow in the area.
Princeton had trailed 54-51 in the final seconds before Spencer Gloger tied the game at 54-54 with a three-pointer with 5.5 seconds to play. Meade was then fouled by Will Venable as he brought the ball up the court, giving him two shots to break the tie. After missing the first badly, Meade swished his second.
Princeton inbounded the ball to Kyle Wente after Meade's made foul shot, but Wente couldn't control the ball as the clocked wound down. He finally was able to get the ball across midcourt to Gloger, whose turnaround 40 footer as time expired was short. "It's two competitive programs playing a very competitive game," said Princeton coach John Thompson.
Princeton slipped to 4-7 for the third straight season under Thompson. Princeton rallied to win the Ivy League championship each of the first two seasons. The Tigers have lost four of their games by three points or fewer.
Holy Cross improved to 8-3. The Crusaders have won two straight Patriot League championships.
The Tigers and Holy Cross have now played a two-point game and two one-point games in the last three years. Princeton won the previous two meetings.
"These are two evenly matched teams," Thompson said. "The scores the last few years reflect that."
Holy Cross led most of the way, building a 10-point first half lead behind 7' 6" North Carolina transfer Neil Fingleton's eight points and intimidating defense. The Tigers were able to score the final eight points of the first half to make it 25-23 at intermission.
The Crusaders built their lead to seven in the second half, but Konrad Wysocki brought Princeton back with eight points. His two foul shots gave Princeton its first lead of the night at 42-41, but HC was able to regain the lead on its next possession. Neither team led by more than three points for the next seven minutes until Holy Cross built it to 54-49 in the final minute.
Gloger, though, put back a missed Ray Robins' three-pointer to cut it to 54-51 with 45 seconds left, and the Tigers then held on their next possession to set up Gloger's game-tying three.
Gloger led Princeton with 10 points, keeping alive his streak of being in double figures in every game this season. Wysocki and Ed Persia had eight each, while Judson Wallace, Robins and Venable had seven each. Gloger had a team-high seven rebounds.
Patrick Whearty had 11 for HC.
Princeton returns to Jadwin Gym Tuesday night (7:30) to host Maryland-Baltimore County.