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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Minnesota
Tigers Fall Just Short at Minnesota, 57-53
January 10, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 10, 2004
Box Score
MINNEAPOLIS - The Princeton men's basketball team spent the last 10 minutes of the second half at Minnesota trrning a seemingly insurmountable 11-point deficit into a tie game. But the Tigers never got a chance to go ahead in the crucial final minutes.
Andre Logan was called for an offensive foul under the Gopher basket with 1:54 remaining and the Tigers down 50-48 and Minnesota made six of eight free throws in the final 1:31 as the Gophers held on for a 57-53 victory over Princeton in front of 12,067 at Williams Arena Saturday night.
Princeton (6-6) trailed 43-32 with 10:19 left and 47-37 with 8:14 on the clock before scoring 11 of the next 12 points in an eight-minute span to tie the game at 48 on Will Venable's steal and ensuing layup with 2:42 remaining. Kris Humphries then hit two free throws on the other end for Minnesota (8-5), giving his team a 50-48 lead, and Logan was then called for a charge after releasing a pass to Ed Persia on Princeton's next possession. Head coach John Thompson was called for a technical foul for protesting the call, and Adam Boone hit one of two free throws to give the Gophers a 51-48 lead. Ben Johnson then hit two free throws for Minnesota on the ensuing Gopher possession, and then put Minnesota ahead 55-48 with a fast break layup with 23 seconds left.
"We did a better job of running through our offense in the second half and not just shooting the quick one," said Thompson, whose Tigers shot 48% from the field in the second half after making just eight of 19 first-half shots. "They really packed in the defense to prevent layups, and it took us a while to adjust."
Princeton trailed 25-19 at halftime after Logan scored at the buzzer but fell behind by double digits seven minutes into the second half after Michael Bauer's left-corner three-pointer for Minnesota. Kris Humphries (21 points, eight rebounds) would later put the Gophers ahead by 11 points midway through the half before the Tigers made their comeback.
Logan tied a season high with 16 points for Princeton, which had 12 assists on its 21 baskets. The Tigers held Minnesota to just 2 of 11 shooting from three-point range, but the Gophers went to the free-throw line 20 times (making 15) compared to just seven free-throw attempts for the Tigers.
Judson Wallace scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half for the Tigers. Five of Princeton's six losses this season have come by four points or less, and the Tigers have had a chance to either tie or go ahead in all five of those games in the final two minutes of regulation.
"We're definitely a little tired of coming close like this," said Logan, who shot 7 for 12 from the field. "We come out against these teams with the idea of winning and it's a little frustrating not to be able to do that."
Adam Boone scored all 10 of his points in the second half for the Gophers, who improved to 8-1 at home this season.