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Princeton University
Harvard
Men's Hoops Survives Late Harvard Rally, Escapes With 67-66 Win
February 22, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 22, 2003
Box Score
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - They're never easy in Cambridge, but the Princeton men's basketball team will take wins any way it can get them. With no margin for error in the tight Ivy League race, the Tigers escaped a late rally and knocked off Harvard 67-66 in front of 1,982 at Lavietes Pavilion tonight. Ray Robins scored 22 points to lead Princeton, and hit a critical jumper in the closing seconds to give Princeton insurance it would dearly need.
A driving reverse layup by Jason Norman cut the deficit to 63-60 with two minutes remaining. Robins, Princeton's best offensive option over the last three games, drove for a layup to bring the lead back to five points. Elliott Prasse-Freeman, the Ivy League leader in assists, attempted a backdoor pass to Norman, but it was picked off by Kyle Wente, the Ivy League leader in steals. Judson Wallace missed a hook shot on the next possession, and Brady Merchant came off the screen to hit a three-pointer that sent the Lavietes Pavilion faithful into hysteria. Robins hit a 17-foot jumper at the top of the key to open it to a four-point lead, but Harvard came right back downcourt. Prasse-Freeman's three-point attempt circled the rim a full time before falling off. A tip-in attempt got caught in the side of the rim, signaling a jump ball and Harvard possession. Once again, Merchant came off a screen and buried a three-pointer on the right wing to cut the deficit to 67-66.
Princeton immediately got the ball to Will Venable, its best free throw shooter. The sophomore missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Harvard got possession with a chance to win. Merchant got the ball at the top of the arc and was immediately double-teamed. He sent a pass to a cutting Prasse-Freeman, who was immediately picked up defensively. The Harvard senior attempted a scoop shot from the elbow that missed badly, and Konrad Wysocki came down with the rebound with .4 of a second remaining. Wysocki missed his attempt, but a 90-foot attempt at the buzzer never came close and Princeton escaped with the win.
"We're making the plays we have to make to win at the end," Princeton head coach John Thompson said afterwards. "This seems to be how games go up here. Fortunately, we've come up on the right end."
The last three Princeton wins at Harvard have been decided by a total of five points. Two years ago, Harvard led late, but Wente drained a 25-footer at the buzzer to give Princeton the win. Last season, it was Harvard's Sam Winter with the chance to win it, but his shot missed the mark.
The win not only keeps Princeton two games behind Pennsylvania in the Ivy League race, but it also puts Princeton ahead of every other school in the country in another department. The win assures Princeton its 50th consecutive non-losing season in Ivy League play. UCLA currently holds both the all-time and active record with 54 straight non-losing league seasons, but that streak will end at the conclusion of the current Pac-10 schedule. The next closest active streak will be Syracuse, which is going for its 22nd consecutive non-losing season in the Big East this year.
Princeton shot 55.8% from the field for the game. Venable scored 14 points, dished out four assists and had both a pair of blocks and steals. Judson Wallace nearly recorded his third double-double of the season with 11 points and nine rebounds.
Princeton led 37-31 after one half of play. Robins and Wallace each scored 11 points to help the Tigers to their early advantage. The Tigers shot 59.3% from the field in the half. Princeton controlled the paint, outscoring Harvard 28-8 there and not allowing its opponent a single rebound in the first nine minutes of play. Brady Merchant kept Harvard in the game during the first 20 minutes with 11 points, including nine from beyond the arc. Merchant would end the contest with 22 points and shot 6 for 9 from beyond the arc.
Princeton neither gained nor lost any ground this weekend. The combination of Princeton, Pennsylvania, Yale and Brown has combined to go 24-0 against the combination of Harvard, Dartmouth, Columbia and Cornell this season. Each of the latter four teams are already eliminated in the league race. Friday will be one of the most critical days of the league season, as the top two teams in the league, Pennsylvania (9-0) and Brown (9-1), will meet in Providence, R.I.
Princeton will open its final Ivy League road weekend that same night when the Tigers take on Yale at 7 p.m. Princeton topped Yale 56-59 at home last Saturday, thanks in part to a 15-point, 12-rebound effort from Robins. Princeton and Yale were among the Ivy League tri-champions last season, and both teams won this matchup on their home floors. This will also be Princeton's first appearance on the YES Network. The game can be heard live on WCTC 1450 AM and GoPrincetonTigers.com.