Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
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Brown Ends All-Time Skid At Princeton, Stays Perfect In Ivy With 80-73 Win
February 14, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 14, 2003
Box Score
PRINCETON, N.J. - Jason Forte scored 18 points and dished out nine assists, and the Brown men's basketball team shot 61.0% from the field (25 for 41), as the Bears ended a 52-game skid at Princeton with an 80-73 win at Princeton Friday night. Brown (12-9, 7-0 Ivy) moves 2.5 games ahead of Princeton (10-9, 4-2) in the league race with the win.
"That team did a terrific job today," Princeton head coach John Thompson said. "Jason [Forte] controlled the game today."
Forte's ninth assist went to Alai Nuualiitia, giving Brown a 69-56 lead with 4:10 remaining in the contest. Ray Robins ignited Princeton's late attempt for victory with a three-pointer at the top of the arc to cut it to a 10-point deficit. Will Venable added a jumper, and following a free throw by Patrick Powers, Ed Persia drained another three-pointer to cut it to 70-64. Brown got a free throw apiece from Mike Martin and Forte, but layups by Scott Greenman and Ed Persia got the deficit to 72-68 with 45 seconds remaining. Nuualiitia fired up the Brown portion of the crowd with an uncontested dunk seconds later, but Persia quickly followed with a deep three-pointer to get the deficit down to one possession. Princeton called its final timeout on the play.
With Spencer Gloger out with an injury earlier in the half and Robins and Kyle Wente already having fouled out, Thompson used a quick lineup to try for a steal. He nearly got it, as Verbit knocked the ball away from Forte. Three players, Persia and two from Brown, dove for the loose ball. The referee blew the whistle and signalled that Princeton had called for a timeout, which resulted in a technical foul.
"I thought the ref was giving us a break by trying to give us a timeout," Ed Persia said. "[Matt Verbit] made a great play trying to steal the ball. I was lying on top of the ball. I clearly did not have possession and was clearly out of bounds."
Earl Hunt, the leading scorer in the Ivy League, hit two free throws to get the lead to five points. Persia drove for a layup to get it back within three points, but Hunt got possession and again hit two free throws. Persia missed a three-pointer, and Forte secured the win with two final free throws.
The win keeps Brown and Penn undefeated in Ivy League play, as Penn used a late surge to run past Yale tonight at the Palestra. While those two teams will play for sole possession of first place tomorrow night, Princeton and Yale will attempt to stay in the league race tomorrow night at Jadwin Gym (7:30 p.m.; CN8, RCN, WCTC 1450 AM, GoPrincetonTigers.com).
Persia led all scorers with 22 points, while Gloger and Konrad Wysocki each scored 12 points apiece. Gloger went down midway through the second half, and Brown followed that with an 11-3 run over the next four minutes to build a 61-51 lead with 8:36 remaining.