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Princeton University Athletics
Men's Basketball Begins Ivy Play with Big Trip to Brown, Yale
January 29, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 29, 2004
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The Ivy League is the only NCAA Division I conference without a postseason basketball tournament. Instead, the league determines its automatic NCAA tournament berth with an extended six-week, 14-game tournament, one that begins in earnest Friday night on the first full weekend of league play.
Princeton's quest for its third league title in four years under head coach John Thompson begins Friday at Brown, and the Tigers (7-6) may be as prepared to wear the crown as any team thanks to an experienced nucleus and the lessons learned during a strong pre-conference schedule. But the Bears (6-9) are already 2-0 in Ivy play thanks to a sweep of Yale the last two weekends and have the league's reigning Player of the Week in senior Mike Martin, who had 19 points against Yale last Saturday.
The Tigers returned to action Monday night after a 16-day break due to exams, defeating Southern Vermont 86-48 as 12 different players scored, led by a career-high 16 points from junior center Mike Stephens. Stephens started at center in place of Judson Wallace, who missed the game due to a quad contusion, but Wallace, Princeton's leading scorer, should start Friday against the Bears.
Princeton has had great success at Brown's Pizzitola Sports Center in recent years, winning seven of its last eight games in Providence after losing three straight in the early 1990's. The Tigers have started the Ivy League season at least 3-0 in each of the last seven years and have started 4-0, 5-0, and 4-0 in Thompson's three years as head coach. NOTE OF THE DAY
Late-Arriving Tigers - Princeton (along with Penn) is the last team in NCAA Division I basketball to be playing its first league game. First-semester exams at Princeton ended this past Saturday.
EIGHT MORE THINGS YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT
Ivy Fact No. 1 - Either Princeton or Penn (or both) has won the Ivy League championship in 42 of the last 45 seasons.
Ivy Fact No. 2 - In the last 10 years, Princeton has a 115-25 (.821) record in Ivy League games.
Ivy Fact No. 3 - Princeton has won at least its first three conference games in each of the last seven seasons. The Tigers have started their Ivy League schedule 4-0, 5-0 and 4-0 in three years under John Thompson.
Ivy Fact No. 4 - The Tigers haven't lost three games in a row against an Ivy League opponent other than Penn since falling to Yale three straight times spanning the 1985-86 and 1986-87 seasons.
A Top 20 Team - Princeton ranks in the Top 20 nationally in NCAA Division I in scoring defense (56.5, 7th), team field-goal percentage (.490, 14th) and fewest turnovers per game (12.6, 17th).
Close Calls - Five of Princeton's six losses this season have come by four points or less, including games against 25th-ranked Oklahoma, Minnesota from the Big 10 and Rutgers from the Big East.
We're In Good Hands - Princeton's starting backcourt (Ed Persia, Scott Greenman, Will Venable) has combined for a 2.07-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio through 13 games this season (110 assists, 53 turnovers).
Injury Report - Junior center Judson Wallace should start Friday after missing Monday's game against Southern Vermont due to a quad contusion. Wallace leads the Tigers and ranks fourth in the Ivy League in scoring at 15 points per game.
MORE NOTES & ANECDOTES
More Injury Report - Konrad Wysocki played 12 minutes off the bench against Southern Vermont, scoring eight points. Wysocki had missed Princeton's previous four games due to a viral infection.
Ivy Fact No. 5 - Princeton has compiled a .500 or better record in conference games for 50 consecutive years, the longest such streak in NCAA Division I.
Ivy Fact No. 6 - Princeton has won at Brown in seven of the past eight seasons after losing three straight at the Pizzitola Center from 1992-1995.
A 50-50 Proposition - In their seven wins this season, the Tigers have shot a combined 186 for 336 (55.4%) from the field. In their six losses this season, the Tigers have shot 119 for 286 (41.6%) from the field.
A 60-60 Proposition - Princeton is 7-0 this season when it scores 60 or more points and 0-6 when it scores 59 or fewer points.
Proposition Three - In their seven wins this season, the Tigers have shot 51 for 136 (37.5%) from three-point range. In their five losses this season, the Tigers have shot 34 for 126 (27.0%) from three-point range.
The Streak Continues! - Princeton, along with Vanderbilt and UNLV, are the only teams to have made at least one three-point shot in every game since the rule came into effect for the 1986-87 season. The Tigers' streak currently stands at 479 games.
Heatin' Up - Ed Persia is shooting 31 for 60 (51.7%) from the field and averaging 13.7 points over his last six games. In the previous seven games, Persia shot 19 for 55 (34.5%) from the field and averaged 7.4 points.
Three-Mendous - Ed Persia has at least one three-point shot in all 13 games this season and in his last 17 games overall. Persia has at least one three-point shot in 36 of Princeton's 40 games over the last two years.
From Way Downtown... - Ed Persia now ranks eighth all-time at Princeton with 134 three-pointers. He needs six three-pointers to pass C.J. Chapman '01 and move into seventh place on the all-time list.
Accepting Charity - Ed Persia has made 17 consecutive free throws dating back to a miss at Columbia Feb. 7 of last season. Persia is 10 for 10 from the free-throw line this year.
Taking Care of It - Ed Persia leads the Ivy League in assist-to-turnover ratio (45-22. 2.04-1). Princeton leads the Ivy League in that category as a team as well (173-150, 1.15-1).
A Judson Come Lately - Judson Wallace is averaging 16.9 points per game over his last 17 games dating back to Feb. 28 of last season. In the previous 42 games of his career, Wallace averaged 5.5 points.
Making History - Judson Wallace has at least 26 points three times in 13 games this season; every other Princeton player combined has had at least 26 points in a game 15 times in the last 14 seasons.
Star Power - Judson Wallace scored 114 points (22.8 ppg) in Princeton's first five games this season. Wallace was ranked in the Top 10 nationally in scoring after the first five games of the season.
Lightin' It Up - Judson Wallace scored a then-career-high 24 points and hit a career-best five three-point shots for Princeton at Brown last season.
Steppin' Out - Judson Wallace, who is 6-10, is third on the Tigers with 13 three-point shots. Wallace had two three-point shots at Minnesota Jan. 10, his first since the Lafayette game Dec. 22.
Home, Sweet Home - Judson Wallace is averaging 20.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in four games at Jadwin Gymnasium this season. Wallace is averaging 12.5 points in eight games away from home this year.
His Best Against the Best - Scott Greenman tied a career- and season high with 14 points against Oklahoma. Greenman shot 5 for 6 from the field in that game.
Not So Green Anymore - Scott Greenman has scored 95 points this season in 13 games after scoring 54 points his entire freshman season.
MORE FROM THE HARDWOOD
Deep Thoughts - Scott Greenman has 16 three-point shots in 50 attempts this year. Greenman had 10 three-pointers his entire freshman season.
Mr. Versatility... - Will Venable is second on the Tigers in assists (44), second on the team in rebounding (4.3 rpg) and leads the team in steals (18).
More Good Hands - Will Venable ranks second in the Ivy League in assist-to-turnover ratio (44-23, 1.91-1).
Filling It Up - Will Venable scored a season-high 13 points in just 15 minutes against Southern Vermont Monday night.
Nice to Have You Back - Andre Logan is averaging 8.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game since entering the starting lineup at Loyola Dec. 29.
Start Me Up - Andre Logan is shooting 33 for 61 (.541) from the field and averaging 9.3 points per game in his last eight games after going 0 for 6 from the field in his first three games.
All about Andre - Andre Logan has played in just 14 of Princeton's last 56 games due to knee and hand injuries.
Filling It Up - Andre Logan was leading Princeton in scoring in 2001-02 (9.3 ppg) before tearing a knee ligament in an Ivy League game at Harvard on Jan. 11, 2002.
One More Year - Andre Logan is a junior in eligibility. Logan withdrew from school for the spring semester last year after playing in just three games early in the season. He also had a second knee surgery last year.
The Big Fella - Mike Stephens had a career-high 16 points against Southern Vermont Monday night. His previous career high of 10 points came against top-ranked Duke Dec. 17.
Shooting Star - Mike Stephens is shooting 28 for 44 (64%) from the field for the season. Stephens was 6 for 7 from the field against Southern Vermont Monday.
For Starters... - Konrad Wysocki started Princeton's first eight games this season. In his previous three seasons combined, he started eight games.
First Things First - Konrad Wysocki has scored 47 of his 62 points this season in the first half. He scored six of his eight points in the first half against Southern Vermont.
A 50-50 Proposition - Konrad Wysocki is shooting 177 for 334 from the field (52.9 percent) for his career.
Special K - Konrad Wysocki was the Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2000-01. Wysocki averaged 5.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game that season.
Super Schaen - Harrison Schaen had a season-high 10 points against Southern Vermont. Schaen is averaging 14 minutes in Princeton last two games.
Jersey Guy - Max Schafer is averaging 13 minutes per game in Princeton's last eight games. Schafer had a season-high five assists against Southern Vermont.
Who's The New Guy - Luke Owings has 40 of the 86 points scored by Princeton freshmen this season. Owings attended the same high school (Gonzaga) as Princeton head coach John Thompson.
Better Guard ?Em - Luke Owings is shooting 8 for 16 from three-point range this year. Owings is 15 for 27 (.556) overall from the field.
In the Buff - Edwin Buffmire was named the Maricopa County Player of the Year as as a high school senior after averaging 21 points, eight assists and seven rebounds per game. Buffmire scored his first career points at Loyola Monday.
The Reynolds Wrap - John Reynolds won a Journalism Award for Excellence in sportswriting from The Greenville News as a junior in high school. Reynolds saw his first career action at Loyola Monday.