.png&width=24&type=webp)
Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
UMBC
Balanced Tigers Coast to 68-56 Win at UMBC
December 02, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 2, 2003
Box Score
BALTIMORE - Ed Persia was bloodied in the first half, and he looked like he might have been out for the count just seconds into the second half. But Princeton's senior guard didn't let either of those things keep him from making what might have been the two biggest shots of the game.
Persia hit two key three-pointers midway through the second half and Scott Greenman added a deep three to give Princeton an insurmountable 14-point lead with just under seven minutes left as the Tigers improved to 3-0 with a 68-56 win over UMBC in front of 3,106 at the RAC Arena Tuesday night.
The Tigers, who led 31-26 at halftime, led by just nine points seven minutes into the second half before Persia hit a three-pointer from the left wing to put Princeton ahead 46-34. Then, after the Retrievers (2-1) cut their deficit back to eight points two minutes later, Persia hit a similar three-point shot from the wing with 8:29 left to begin a 10-2 Tiger run that put the game away. "I'm a senior and I'm not coming out of the game for anything right now," said Persia, who finished with 11 points and six rebounds despite a collision that forced him to come out of the game less than a minute into the half. "I was a little worried for the first 30 seconds or so, but my knee felt a lot better right away and I was able to come back in."
Princeton, which shot 56% percent from the field as a team and never trailed in the game, also proved it could win by double digits without a offensive outburst by junior center Judson Wallace. Wallace still led the Tigers with 16 points, but Konrad Wysocki scored a season-high 15 points in 23 minutes and Greenman added a career-best 12 points, shooting 5 for 7 from the field.
"We're doing some good things right now," said Tiger head coach John Thompson. "There's some good experience on the court and its showing in how well we're running our offense most of the time."
Rob Gogerty led UMBC, which fell to 0-3 all-time against Princeon, with 14 points. The Retrievers fell behind 13-2 and 18-5 early in the first half but rebounded to cut the Tiger lead to as few as five points several times in the first half.
Princeton, which plays UC Irvine at Fresno State's McCaffrey Classic Friday night (8:30 p.m., WPRB 103.3 FM, GoPrincetonTigers.com), had assists on 16 of its 23 baskets and outrebounded UMBC 30-26.