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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Lafayette
Lafayette Comes From Behind to Defeat Men's Basketball, 47-44
December 22, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 22, 2003
Box Score
Winston Davis hit two free throws for Lafayette with six seconds remaining and Scott Greenman's long three-point attempt for Princeton at the buzzer was off the mark as the Leopards came back from a 13-point second-half deficit to win their eighth-straight game and defeat the Tigers, 47-44, in a men's basketball game at Jadwin Gymnasium Monday night.
The Tigers (4-4) trailed 45-44 after an Ed Persia fast-break layup with 1:06 left and then got the ball back with 33 seconds on the clock after Davis was called for traveling. Princeton then worked the ball to Andre Logan on the right wing, but the junior's jump shot was off the mark with seven seconds left and Davis was fouled on the rebound. Lafayette (8-1) trailed 29-16 two minutes into the second half but hit three-point shots on three consecutive possessions after that to pull within 29-25 on Pat Betley's three with 16 minutes left. Princeton still led 40-34 with six minutes left after a Persia three-pointer, but the Leopards then scored nine straight points in a three-minute span, including a Marcus Harley three-pointer with 3:21 left that put Lafayette ahead for good at 42-40.
Princeton would pull within 43-42 after Judson Wallace made two free throws with 2:25 left, but Justin DeBerry then scored two of his game-high 13 points at the other end for Lafayette to put the Leopards back ahead by three.
Persia and Wallace each scored 12 points for Princeton, which shot a season-low 29.8% from the field (17 for 57), including 5 for 25 (20%) from three-point range. The Tigers have lost three straight games for the first time since Dec. 14-22 of last season and fell to Lafayette for just the fifth time in 37 meetings all-time in Princeton.
The Tigers led 22-16 after a cold-shooting first half that saw the teams combine for 21 turnovers, including 12 from Lafayette. Neither team hit double digits in scoring until less than six minutes remained in the half, when Princeton freshman Luke Owings scored five straight points to ignite 10-2 Tiger run. The Tigers led by as many as nine points late in the half before Davis made a three-pointer for Lafayette in the final minute.
Davis added 11 points, six rebounds and three assists for the Leopards, who are off to their best start since the 1971-72 season. Lafayette connected on 7 of 14 three-point shots for the game, including five of their eight three-point attempts in the second half.
Wallace, Princeton's leading scorer, added eight rebounds and three assists for Princeton but shot just 4 for 18 from the field, including 0 for 7 in the second half. The Tigers forced 20 Lafayette turnovers, a season-high for a Princeton opponent.